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PLAIN CITY — Crews continue to monitor a fire that started when a controlled burn got out of hand in west Weber County Tuesday night. The Plain City Fire Department is already preparing for an unusually dry season.
Firefighters said a canal company started burning ditch banks Tuesday night. The company thought the flames were extinguished, but when the wind picked up overnight, hot spots flared up around 10 p.m.
The fire burned about three acres, traveling along fields and into heavier vegetation, which is the biggest concern for the fire department. Firefighters said once flames spread into heavier vegetation, the fire can burn much longer.
Plain City Fire Chief Jeremy Crowton said crews will continue to monitor heavy timber next to the canal.
"I think the biggest thing to take away from this is that if you're going to burn your ditch banks, (the fire) needs to be out after dark and needs to be attended," he said.
If things don't change and we don't start having a wetter spring, then we could be in for a very long season.
–Fire Chief Jeremy Crowton
Firefighters are concerned that it's only the middle of March and they have already dealt with a grass fire.
Crowton said firefighters attended a class Tuesday night, thinking they'd get some early training. With this fire, that training wasn't so early after all.
"It's definitely a concern," Crowton said. "I think if things don't change and we don't start having a wetter spring, then we could be in for a very long season."
Crowton said he doesn't expect the canal company to face charges in the incident.
