PROVO, Utah, July 31, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A raging brush fire above the Bonneville Shore Line Trail in Provo has burned 400 acres as of Wednesday morning.
Firefighters were dispatched at 10:35 p.m. Tuesday to 2200 S. Alaska Ave., from which point the flames spread through the area between Alaska Avenue and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, scorching about 50 acres, Provo Fire Chief James Miguel said. The blaze has been dubbed the Alaska Fire, officials said.
“It’s visible all over Utah County and is attracting a lot of people,” Miguel told Gephardt Daily at 12:45 a.m. Wednesday. “The good news is that it’s burning above the Shoreline Trail, and the trail is quite a firebreak, so we’re defending the trail, and no homes are being threatened.”
Miguel said the fire is on U.S. Forest Service land and will soon be transitioned over to Forest Service and Utah County personnel. Provo fire crews will remain on scene to facilitate communication.
Wednesday morning, Utah Fire Info tweeted the fire has now burned approximately 400 acres. “Fire continues to move uphill in grass and brush, cause under investigation,” the tweet said. “A type 3 Incident Management Team will assume command of the incident today.”
Miguel said the fire is being investigated as human-caused.
“There was no lightning in the area, no apparent natural cause,” he said.
Gephardt Daily will follow up on this story as more information becomes available.
