Fire in Uintah brings reminders of 2017 blaze, as firefighters preserve homes

UINTAH, Weber County — A calming of the winds and an aggressive response from firefighters helped keep the Dugway fire away from homes early Wednesday, but the blaze still provided a stark reminder of a scarier time for some homeowners.

"It was too close. It's not even 100 yards across the street there," Leroy Royer said of the fire Wednesday. "But it's been a scary experience. The thing I fear most living here is fires."

Royer, like many other homeowners, holds that fear because of another fire in the area, nine years ago. Back then, more than 600 acres burned, destroying six structures, including several homes.

"It came from over the hill down here into my backyard," Royer recalled. "We have the strong winds here in the mornings, so it's scary when you stop and think about losing everything."

Thankfully, this time around, the flames did not venture beyond the train tracks behind the homes across the street from Royer. Allison Annis, who moved in after the 2017 fire, said she and her husband watched the flames that burned just beyond their backyard.

"It was stressful," Annis said. "But watching it move further away from the house rather than closer was pretty reassuring."

Firefighters were able to push back the flames early Wednesday, as winds calmed, eventually blowing away from the homes.

"The winds dying down definitely helped," said Kelly Wickens, a public information officer with Utah's Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands. "We were still able to stop the forward progression through the winds."

By mid-afternoon Wednesday, the fire had been about 50% contained, burning 15 to 20 acres.

"We feel so blessed," Annis said. "The firefighters did a great job of keeping it controlled."

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Contributing: Joe R. Wirthlin Jr and Brian Carlson, KSL

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