LAYTON, Utah — If anyone needs further proof of how dry a tinderbox Utah has become during the ongoing drought, look no further than what sparked two brush fires within hours on Tuesday.
A squirrel.
Children with matches.
The latest fire starts are the latest examples officials will likely use after pleading with residents to be careful when outdoors among dry vegetation, sharing how wildfires can start from just about anything.
At approximately 10:30 a.m., a half-acre of brush was burned in Layton before crews were able to put out the flames after a squirrel got tangled up in a power line, starting the fire in the area near Gordon.
Hours later, kids playing with matches in Saratoga Springs started a brush fire near Chianti Street and Wild Blossom Boulevard that grew to an acre until it was fully extinguished.
No one was injured in either fire.
Recent fires spark concerns over target shooting near Saratoga Springs:
As multiple human-caused fires have burned hundreds of acres across the state, including the current Stone Mountain Fire in Tooele County, officials have shared a message about safety outdoors.
Target shooting was the cause of two fires started in Saratoga Springs in recent days, with the Glambert Lane Fire igniting on state land and burning 175 acres. Two others were started within city limits, where target shooting is illegal.
