SPANISH FORK — Crews quickly knocked down a brush fire sparked by a city lawnmower that briefly threatened several homes in Spanish Fork on Wednesday.
Spanish Fork city spokesperson Jack Urquhart said a city worker was mowing the grass near 1400 E. River Bottoms Road, where the fire started.
"There was a city lawnmower that caused a spark, and then grass caught up fire — (it) climbed up the hill, ultimately burned about 2 acres," he said. "It threatened some structures, some homes above it, but didn't reach them."
Photos sent to KSL show a large cloud of smoke towering over the area near a neighborhood.
The fire burned for just under a half hour until Urquhart said the winds drove the fire uphill and crews got it under control.
Evacuations were not ordered for anyone in the area, and no injuries were reported.
"We're just mopping it up now and turning (it) over to the county," said Urquhart.
People were asked to temporarily avoid the area while crews responded to the incident.
A similar incident occurred last summer in Millcreek, though it resulted in a much different outcome.
Fire officials said two apartment buildings last July were destroyed after a lawnmower sparked a fire near the property, and then quickly spread due to windy conditions.
Homes of dozens of residents were impacted, but residents were not injured. Four firefighters, however, sustained minor injuries while battling flames.
