- Officials urge lawn care after Millcreek blaze at Willow Glen Apartments.
- A lawnmower likely sparked the fire, says Unified Fire Authority's Kelly Bird.
- Recommendations include soaking areas before mowing and keeping water or extinguishers nearby.
SALT LAKE CITY — Following the massive Millcreek blaze at the Willow Glen Apartments, officials are sharing steps we can take to prevent a similar situation from sparking.
Investigators said one lawnmower was enough to ignite towering flames that spread.
"The blade perhaps hit a rock or some other type of debris in the field, and that's what created that initial spark," said Unified Fire Authority's Kelly Bird. "It's an ongoing investigation. That was our initial, kind of, interpretation of what happened. But it hasn't been completely finalized yet."
Bird said lawnmower fires aren't uncommon.
He recommends soaking an area with water before mowing, saying it can prevent a fire.
"The first thing we want you to do is to soak it prior, with a hose or sprinkler system or whatever you have available to you, to kind of wet it all down to kind of make it more difficult for a fire to begin," Bird said.
He also recommends removing debris.
"Go in and do a kind of a sweep of the area. Look for those types of things that could, you know, create that spark," Bird said.
When it's this dry and hot, it's good to have extra tools nearby.
"Have a water source near you as you're mowing, perhaps, or a fire extinguisher," he said.
Bird recommends regularly cleaning out the mower.
"It might make your lawn mower more hot as it struggles to turn and more heat that's in there, the more likelihood of something starting on fire, so probably keep(ing) it clear is probably a safer thing to do," he said.
He also recommends letting the equipment cool down after use.
What we want people to do is, don't allow your property to get to a point where it's that dangerous.
–Kelly Bird, Unified Fire Authority
"Whatever your mower has the capability of doing that, just follow the manufacturer's recommendations and then let it cool, maybe on a non-flammable area," Bird said.
Bird said the best way to prevent fires caused by lawnmowers is maintaining yards, lawns and fields.
"What we want people to do is, don't allow your property to get to a point where it's that dangerous," he said.
UFA said weedwhackers or a machete can be used to take down tall weeds or grasses.
If it's a super hot, windy day, it's probably best to skip the mowing chore.
"Just be aware of the surroundings, be aware of what's going on," Bird said.
