Human-caused brush fire burns 1 acre in northern Cedar City

CEDAR CITY— A brush fire burned approximately one acre of undeveloped land north of Canyon View High School in Cedar City on Tuesday afternoon.

Map with yellow dot showing approximate location of a one-acre brush fire in Cedar City, Utah, May 17, 2022 | Image courtesy of Google Maps, St. George News / Cedar City News

Shortly before 1 p.m., emergency dispatchers alerted firefighters to a wildfire in an area just west of Main Street at approximately 2250 North (see map). The land, which is covered by sagebrush and grassy weeds and also includes some trees, is part of the yet-undeveloped Falcon Crossing subdivision, north of Falcon Circle (2200 North) and on either side of Falcon Drive.

Weather conditions were moderately windy with temperatures in the high 70s as crews worked quickly to contain the blaze, which burned through a stand of cottonwood trees located on a hilly ridge just west of Main Street. 

Cedar City Fire Chief Mike Phillips said a total of 29 personnel and eight fire trucks responded to the incident. Cedar City Fire Department firefighters were joined by crews from U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands and Kanarraville Fire Department.

Officers with Cedar City Police and Southern Utah University Police also responded and assisted with traffic control. Although there was some smokiness in the air around Main Street and nearby streets, traffic impact was minimal. There was also no disruption to school activities at nearby Canyon View High School.

As late as 3 p.m., some fire crews were still at the scene, putting water on hot spots with hoses.

Phillips described the fire as human-caused but added that the incident is still under investigation.

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