WASHINGTON TERRACE, Utah — Thick smoke rested in the air at the Washington Terrace homes in Weber County on Tuesday morning. The morning was calm, but the ground was still smoldering after a 45 acre fire scorched this area all the way up to the homes on Monday.
The fire started around noon and about 250 homes had to evacuate because of how fast the flames moved near their backyards. The evacuation order was lifted hours later and all residents were allowed to return home.
One of the neighbors, Kris Tomlinson, was at work when the fire started and raced home, terrified that her home was on fire.
“It was so shocking,” Tomlinson said. "I could see the smoke as I was driving home.”
Kris and her husband, Scott, live on the edge of the fire and it came up to their backyard. Scott said the trees right in the backyard caught fire as well. “There was so much smoke here,” he said. “It was hard to see the homes.”
Scott added that he and Kris are grateful for the work of firefighters work who were able to suppress the fire, but also for their neighbors who came together to support one another.
“They were fabulous,” Kris said. “Just neighbors running around and telling you to get out of your house to go to the church or that you could stay at my house tonight. Just offering all kinds of things to each other. It was just amazing.”
One neighbor were seriously injured and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
“It is so important to stay in touch with your neighbors and be there for them,” Kris said.
