Officials have determined that fireworks caused the Slate Canyon fire and are requesting that witnesses provide information to authorities. According to a post from Provo Fire & Rescue, the cause was identified as fireworks used in a fireworks-restricted area during a city-wide ban.
Provo Fire & Rescue released a public appeal for information regarding the Slate Canyon brush fire that occurred on July 4 at approximately 10:40 p.m. The Provo Police Department also shared this appeal via Facebook.
Authorities are asking anyone who saw anything unusual, or anyone possessing photos or video related to the fire, to contact them. Officials noted that fuel reduction work previously completed along the Bonneville Shorelyne Trail helped slow the progression of the fire and prevented it from spreading further up the hillside into heavier fuels.
The department stated that this mitigation helped prevent the incident from escalating into a large wildfire that would have required extensive resources, such as aircraft and costly suppression efforts.
The fire was contained to a few acres, according to watchduty.org, with the Bonneville Shoreline Trail acting as a firebreak. A brush truck wildfire unit remained on site overnight as a precaution.
Officials stated that the incident reinforces the importance of proactive wildfire prevention measures, such as the fireworks ban and Stage 2 fire restrictions. The department also noted that the temporary closure of the BYU Y Trailhead during periods of extreme danger helps reduce risk in areas with steep terrain and single access points.
