Firefighters urge caution after target shooting sparks red flag fire

TOO ELE — Firefighters said target shooters started the blaze on Wednesday, which quickly spread to more than 15 acres.

Target shooters called 911, and dispatchers dispatched local, state and federal crews to the hillside northwest of Grantsville and southwest of Interstate 80, said Karl Hunt, a spokesman for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.

Firefighters battled the flames from the ground and in the air and eventually had 75 percent of the Timpie Valley fire contained, it was reported Wednesday evening.

The Timpie Valley Fire in Tooele County on July 3, 2024 (Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands)

Hunt said he was lucky the fire, which broke out during a red flag warning, was not near any homes.

“We were lucky we weren’t near those areas,” Hunt said.

A Red Flag Warning is in effect for Emery, Wayne, Kane, San Juan, Garfield, Washington, Box Elder, Cache, Weber, Salt Lake, Juab, Morgan, Rich, Sanpete, Summit, Tooele, Utah, and Wasatch counties from noon to 9 p.m. due to low relative humidity and high winds. If sparked, could cause a fire. photo: twitter.com/vavyEtvvdp

— Utah Wildfire News (@UtahWildfire) July 3, 2024

Still, fire crews were concerned Wednesday about the rising number of human-caused fires.

“We have seen an increase in the number of fires caused by vehicles, agriculture and debris burning,” Hunt said.

He added that recently a number of fires in Tooele County have been started as a result of target shooting.

“Our Tooele County firefighter says we’ve seen five of them,” Hunt said. “A few of them were on Stansbury Island, and we’ve got this one.”

Millcreek Family Almost Lost Their Home Due to Careless Fireworks, Has News

Hunt urged people heading out for the long Fourth of July weekend to exercise caution, use fireworks only in designated areas and ensure vehicles are properly maintained to prevent sparks.

He also said drivers should not leave their vehicles in dry brush. Target shooters, Hunt said, should also be extra careful.

“Don’t use steel-core ammo, don’t shoot at steel targets, make sure you have a clear background so you don’t start a fire,” Hunt said. “A simple spark can start a bigger fire.”

Fourth of July Fireworks Safety Tips