By Cheryl Madsen
A fire near the mouth of Provo Canyon Thursday began when Aaron Johnson”s tractor kicked up a rock, igniting a small patch of dry grass around 4 p.m.
Firefighters from five departments responded to the blaze, which had spread to about 20 acres by the time they arrived. By deadline Thursday, they were still attempting to get the fire under control.
Johnson said when he saw the smoke, he wished he had clothing or a blanket to throw down to put out the fire while it was still small. Fortunately, Gary Smith and Jamie Creer, neighbors, saw the smoke and called the fire in to 911 operators.
Creer said it took Provo fire crew at least 15 minutes to arrive at the scene. Provo firefighters set up and began assessing the damage. Winds were spreading the flames in all directions toward East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery and up Squaw Peak.
Coleman McVea was driving home when he saw the smoke and was worried about his home. As he arrived, he realized the fire was actually closer to Peggy Haynes” home. As Haynes” home teacher, McVea ran to her house to make sure she was OK. When he arrived he saw the fire coming toward her home and barn. Approximately 10 neighbors helped as they beat out the flames with shovels and one hose.
“We saved her barn, possibly even her house,” McVea said.
Bystanders Kori Wixom and Craig Newman noted that the smoke was dark and black, due to the melting vinyl fencing surrounding Haynes” home and barn. They had been working on a house in the area as the fire started and watched as the events unfolded. Neighbors were impressed that it only took planes and helicopters about half an hour to arrive at the scene, dumping water from two private ponds in the area onto the flames.
By 6 p.m., firefighters from the Provo, North Fork, National Forest Service, Utah County and Springville fire departments had arrived to help contain the fire. Emergency personnel closed the area – including Squaw Peak – to the public.
As the fire spread out of Provo, the Forest Service gained jurisdiction. As of 7:30 pm, the Forest Service had made no official report.
