CEDAR CITY — A large brush fire burned 18 acres of weeds and dry vegetation on the west side of Cedar City Saturday afternoon.
UpdatedApril3, 7:30p.m.with additional details about the incident, a video and a gallery of photos.
Shortly after the incident, dubbed the Rabbit Fire, was first reported at 3:08 p.m., Color County Interagency Fire Center reported that structures were threatened in the area.
The fire had started in the vacant fields south of approximately 4200 West and Center Street, in the neighborhoods south of Iron Springs Elementary, and was rapidly blown northward by the wind. However, the fast-moving fire stopped its northward progression when it reached Center Street, and did not jump across that road.
Several homeowners in the nearby subdivision were seen wetting down their lawns with garden hoses as a precaution, even as firefighters continued to douse the still-smoking hot spots in the burned-out area.
Cedar City Fire Chief Mike Phillips told Cedar City News that a total of 10 fire engines from seven different agencies responded to the blaze.
No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported, Phillips added.
However, at least one pickup truck and a trailer that had been parked on the south side of Center Street appeared to have sustained some damage.
Shortly before 8 p.m., Phillips told Cedar City News that fire investigators confirmed that the blaze was caused by someone setting off fireworks.
Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.
Map of the location of the Rabbit Fire. April 3, 2021 | Photo via Google Maps, St. George News | Click to enlarge
Smoke from the Rabbit Fire. April 3, 2021, Cedar City, Utah | Photo by Jeff Richards, Cedar City News / St. George News
Fire crews on the scene of the Rabbit Fire. April 3, 2021 in Cedar City, Utah | Photo by Jeff Richards, Cedar City News/St. George News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
Scene of a brush fire in the fields south of 4200 West and Center Street, Cedar City, Utah, April 3, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have three young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.