CENTERVILLE, Utah — Officials are investigating fireworks as the cause of a wildfire that evacuated nearly 100 homes overnight in Centerville.
The "Deuel Creek" Fire was estimated to have grown to about 129 acres and was spreading uphill, driven by wind, state fire officials report. The fire is 100% contained, officials said Wednesday.
Initially, 80 personnel, 1 squad, 7 engines and helicopters were on scene assisting suppression efforts, state officials report.
Evacuation orders were placed on 89 homes overnight due to the fire, but orders were lifted at 6 a.m. Monday. No homes have been damaged, officials report.
"Those residents are able to go back home, although most of them had found other places to stay for the night," explained Lt. Allen Ackerson with the Centerville Police Department.
Investigators are still verifying an exact cause for the fire, but they believe the blaze was caused by fireworks.
Lt. Ackerson told FOX 13 News the best way residents can help with firefighting efforts today is to be safe with Independence Day activities and consider not setting off fireworks at all.
"Stay away from that mountainside, know where you're doing it, we have restrictions up here in Centerville," he said. "Really I'd maybe not do fireworks at all - it's bad conditions for fireworks and we have so many resources tied up on this one fire, we can't have any others."
Watch - FOX 13's Dani Ruberti breaks down what roads to avoid due to the fire:
The fire started at 11 p.m. Sunday night and was reported initially at 100 S. and Firebreak Road.
Initially, responders were worried about the wind speed and direction of the fire in the early morning hours. However, the wind later shifted, pushing the fire away from homes.
More resources, including aerial support, were brought in to battle the blaze when the sun came up, officials report.
Independence Day activities, such as the Centerville City Parade and fun run were canceled because teams could not help supervise the activities.
"We just don't have the resources and it's definitely not prudent to run those festivities while trying to trying to battle a fire in the area," explained Ackerson.
Ackerson said they are devastated the city parade won't happen.
"We've lost the parade the last two years because of COVID and now a third year because of a fire," he said. "Literally, [there's a ] truckload of taffy sitting waiting for the city council to throw from the cars - that won't be happening today."
Officials said they expect it to take two to three days to completely contain the fire.
