A wildfire that spread across Interstate 15 prompted evacuations and caused a massive traffic jam as motorists drove within feet of a rapidly spreading fire nine miles northeast of St George, Utah Sunday.
The Cottonwood Trail Fire started about 3 p.m. on the west side of the Interstate and burned across the four-lane divided highway blackening 3,000 acres before being stopped by firefighters on the ground and in the air. Resources assigned included three large air tankers, four helicopters, and 30 fire engines.
Both northbound and southbound lanes were eventually closed temporarily due to the fire, but perhaps a little too late. All evacuations have been lifted. A Type 3 Incident Management Team was slated to assume command of the fire Monday morning.
Videos showed traffic at times stopped or slowed to a crawl as the fire burned intensely near vehicles. Some were abandoned and the passengers rescued by others.
The video below by Griffin Hunt shows the chaos as vehicles inched past flames and became trapped in the traffic jam, with some turning around on Interstate 15. David Hunt posted the video, saying, “We were driving back from a wrestling tournament and got caught by fire. The other group that was with us had to abandon their vehicle and it burned to the ground. Here’s a video my son took.”
#CottonwoodTrailFire was insane today. Feared for my life as the fire was blazing right next to our car. Thank god @GarrettSierra2 kept me calm ? people were getting out of their cars with their kids. A guy backed into our car in a panic. Craziness. pic.twitter.com/KGkVlwQqQF
— rachel (@Moosala) July 20, 2020
UPDATE: Residents of Harrisburg and those west of I-15 in Leeds are now being evacuated due to the #CottonwoodTrailFire.https://t.co/fogFGr3iBT
(Photos: Bradley Pollmann) pic.twitter.com/sTrpf7y4n7
— FOX 13 News Utah (@fox13) July 19, 2020
