NEWTON, Utah, Aug. 22, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — A giant stack of hay bales caught fire early Tuesday morning easily visible 20 miles away in the night sky.
Firefighters responded from multiple agencies in Cache Valley as well as Franklin County, Idaho, 15 miles north, to contain the blaze, according to the Newton Fire Department’s press release on the conflagration.
The fire was reported around 3 a.m. Tuesday by a 911 caller from the valley’s east bench. “The caller could see a glow that looked like a fire in the area of Little Mountain,” Newton Fire said.
Little Mountain lies just west of Newton, which is some nine miles west of Smithfield, situated in the middle of the valley floor. Newton Fire said it was determined the distance to the nearest hydrant would be too great to stretch for water supply, and water trucks were requested.
“Units arriving found a haystack fully involved and began suppression operations with hose lines, working to control the fire until heavy equipment could be used to spread the remaining hay.”
No injuries or damage to nearby structures were reported. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
“Newton Fire wishes to express our thanks to the firefighters from the neighboring communities in northern Cache County, Utah and Franklin County, Idaho – your assistance is greatly appreciated!”
