ELBERTA, Utah — Firefighters and law enforcement who battled the Iron Fire near Eureka are being advised to document possible occupational exposure after operations in an area tied to historic mining contamination, according to incident officials.
The notice from Great Basin Incident Management Team 3 was sent to responders who worked near the former Eureka Mills Superfund site and the broader Tintic Mining District. It warned that firefighting activities may have disturbed soil, dust or ash containing lead and other contaminants associated with past mining operations.
Todd Murray, with Great Basin Incident Management Team 3, said the concern centered on ground disturbance during the early stages of the blaze.
“Any type of disturbance of the soil could potentially have that risk for exposure,” Murray said.
The Iron Fire ignited June 19 and burned near the historic mining town in Juab County. Crews worked around the community as the fire threatened nearby homes.
Israel Justice, a seasonal firefighter and owner of Farr West Fire, was part of a four-person crew assigned to hold the fire line as it approached Eureka.
“There’s people’s lives at risk, their property, their homes and everything that’s dear to them,” Justice said. “You’re just thinking about other people more than what it might cost you at the moment.”
According to Murray, the potential exposure concern was identified after crews had already been working in the area. He said responders were later moved out once the risk was recognized.
“Once we knew that this potential was there, we basically mitigated risk and moved crews out,” Murray said.
Officials said no illnesses have been reported. The notice directed responders to clean gear and vehicles and document where and when they worked.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told FOX 13 News the Eureka Mills site was removed from the Superfund list in 2018 after cleanup work was completed. The agency said the fire did not reach areas still requiring remediation and that, based on current information, wildfire operations did not disturb contaminated materials at the site.
The agency added that the Utah Department of Environmental Quality is the lead authority for ongoing maintenance and post-fire environmental questions.
Justice said his crew had been working near old mine features and that while risk is part of the job, the exposure notice raised concerns about what firefighters could carry home after the fire.
“In the quiet times, you think about the consequences of what you do and the effect it has on your family,” he said.
The Iron Fire is now nearly contained, but for some who fought it, questions about potential exposure may outlast the flames.
