Firestorm: Monster Utah blaze leads to 2 deaths, shuts freeways

FILLMORE, Millard County — A huge, out-of-control wildfire in central Utah swept over 160,000 acres — 250 square miles — and forced the closure Saturday of more than 100 miles of interstate freeway, prompting the evacuation of dozens of people and leading to two deaths.

The Milford Flat Fire, which officials believe was sparked by lightning Friday afternoon, prompted officials to close 93 miles of I-15 from Scipio, Millard County, to just south of Beaver, and 23 miles of I-70 from I-15 to near Richfield.

"Looking to the north it's just a black wall of smoke," Beaver resident Garry Walker told the Deseret Morning News. "It looks like a big thunderstorm. This is a hell of a fire."

The traffic snarls caused by the I-15 closure resulted in an accident that killed two people, motorcyclists who were stopped at the closure and were hit by a vehicle whose driver failed to see them through the smoke, Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Steve Winward said.

The victims were Roy Rex Redmon, 68, and his wife, Mary Ann Redmon, 65, both of Rowland Heights, Calif. They were southbound on I-15, just south of Kanosh, when they were hit, Sgt. Jeff Nigbur said. The driver who hit them left the scene and has not been found.

In the initial hours following the closures, there were still motorists on the closed section of the freeway, and officials were working to get those people safely out of the area. By 8 p.m., Utah Highway Patrol officials believed all those people were safe and accounted for.

Holly Wagner, a truck driver for the past 10 years, was one of the drivers who found herself on the freeway surrounded by the blaze.

"It was so scary that I called my family and told them I was dying because my truck was engulfed in flames," she told Fox 13 News. A truck in front of her stopped as flames licked its side — the driver, Wagner surmised, was in shock or unsure of what to do.

"There were people up there praying," she said. "It was unreal. It was surreal."

Evacuations ordered

Millard County sheriff's officials evacuated Cove Fort, Millard County, early Saturday evening, Lt. Roger Young said. A few other communities, including Manderfield and Indian Creek, were on alert for possible evacuation. A number of Manderfield cabins have already undergone voluntary evacuations.