Comments about ‘1 dead, 2 more towns evacuated as 2 erratic fires threaten central Utah’

Please pray for us. This is my home.

Believe me, our hearts and prayers are going out to you. We're not in a position to do much more, but we do know the hardships when your house falls victim to a fire. We quickly learned that there are so many things we once thought important that quickly faded in value when we considered our gratitude that we were still together as a family.

We should have done better protecting things like the family photo albums and such, but the furniture, the video collections, and other assorted junk -- ended up not being as important as we once thought it was.

Be careful - evacuate if you need to, recognize what is truly important. I hope your houses survive, but especially, your homes.

Our prayers are with you.

I have lots of ancestors who lived in Fairview, so I have an emotional rather than physical relationship to the town. I'm really hoping that the cemetery is spared, since it's on the west side of town.

Why No Back Fires?

Most of us remember the "Little House on the Prarie" television show. It came from the Laura Ingles Wilder series of books. In them, when their family lived on a prarie, there was a huge prarie fire. The father in order to protect his home and his family started a back fire, which burned the grass and sage around the house, so that when the big huge fire came to their home, it couldn't harm them or their home because there was no the fuel around their home had already been burned.

I wonder why the fire officials of towns threatned by these fires don't make a back fire to put a ring of protection around their towns. Perhaps this should be part of their training and part of their plans to deal with such situations.

@cjb

Could it be because of the 50 mph wind gusts that could take that back fire and burn down an entire city? It's different burning a back fire around a house vs. a back fire around an entire town.

Who prayed for us here and our homes in Utah?.

Oh I bet Utah's Republican Gov. Gary Herbert hopes for a Florida tropical storm Debby, in the dessert there, to put out all those fires. What I can't figure out is why does he allow homes to be built out of wood, not block, along with better building codes with large clearings on land.

I am curious why they don't take two bulldozers and chain around the entire town of Fairview and then two tractors with discs and disc up whatever fuel might be left after they chain? When I was a child they did this on several occasions durring wildfires. Grandpa fought wildfires this way. It did take some time to do, but it might save the little towns in Sanpete.

This is horrible. We just saw pictures of our son's home--or what was left--twisted metal roof, some concrete, rock cracked by the heat, melted rebar.
We used to go to church with him in Fairview. Does anybody know what is being done to protect the museum there?

@Brother Chuck Schroeder

I'm pretty sure Gary Herbert wasn't even alive when most of those houses were built. But if it makes you feel better to blame him, go ahead.

RE: Brave Sir Robin
San Diego, CA
@Brother Chuck Schroeder

Blame him.

Reply: Utah made its bed, now lay in it. Wildfire sparked by target shooters results in Utah evacuations High winds have fanned flames near Salt Lake City, leading to the removal of 2,300 families in at-risk areas. Thousands of families in Utah have been evacuated from their homes as winds continue to fuel a wildfire believe to have been sparked by target shooters. Residents of at least 2,300 properties in the northern part of the the state sought refuge Friday, as flames scorched a growing area around 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. High winds that have helped fan the blaze onto tinder-dry grasslands are expected to last throughout the weekend, prompting fears of further upheaval for some people in areas of risk. Steel ammo could be to blame for several target shooting wildfires. Despite growing problem, state law prevents any regulation of firearms. Two years ago, firearm use caused 20 wildfires in Utah. Last year, the number ticked up to 24. This year, with roughly three months of dry season to go, officials have already attributed 19 fires to shooting guns.

Dear Brother Chuck,

Old Indian Saying: "The empty wagon rattles loudest."

During such intense moments as these we often resort to blame, criticism and anger; none of which actually help.

Why not force everyone to build out of block rather than wood? Do we really want the government to tell us what kind of houses we may build? Wood is usually less expensive and for some, that matters a great deal. Why not make shooting illegal? Again, another slippery slope to loss of more freedoms.

True freedom does not eliminate problems, but rather necessitates responsibility. The best that can be done right now is to offer a hand, by way of assistance, not a slap in the face. If we can help fight the fires, do so. If we can help shelter or feed the displaced, then do that. And if there is legislation which can be enacted that does not strip us of our freedoms, then let's do that as well.

@ Brother Chuck Schroeder. Your ramble, but you never addressed the return comment. As was stated some of the home were built before Gov. Herbert was even born and most if not all were built before he ever took office. If you logic of forcing people to build with specific materials is the fault of a political administration, then many of the houses on that hill that were built during Democratic administrations like Mathesen are equally at fault. You should take a political swat at them as well. If this is your idea of constructive criticism, Florida needs you more than Utah does.

There are laws against theft, too, but it evidently didn't stop some (less than) human from stealing copper wire which very well may have started the fire. In the meantime, those who are suffering the loss of their homes do not need comments like brother chuck shroeder's.