Sparks from a vehicle with a flat tire started a fire that quickly spread and burned nearly eight acres near the Riverside RV Resort, located between Davis and Weber counties in Utah. The fire broke out around 6 p.m. on July 22, and forced some campers to evacuate.
Flat tire sparks wildfire–rims to blame
According to the South Weber Fire Chief, the flat tire happened on nearby Interstate 84. The metal rims scraped the pavement, creating sparks that ignited the dry grass along the roadside.
Campers at the RV park saw the fire grow fast and felt the urgency as smoke and flames spread close to their rigs.
Nick Sangiorgio, who was staying at the park, described what he saw: “I opened my door and saw smoke and flames. The fire was about 20 feet high.”
He also noticed a propane tank near his RV was leaking and quickly moved it away from the flames to keep it safe.
Several RVs near the fire were lightly damaged by heat, but thankfully no one was hurt.
Interstate had to be closed
Firefighters briefly closed traffic on I-84 while they fought the blaze, but the road reopened quickly and traffic returned to normal.
Because the fire was so close to the RV park, multiple firefighting teams worked together to control it. On Tuesday, wildland firefighters stayed on site to fully extinguish the fire and watch for any remaining hotspots.
Lessons for RVers?
RVers towing a travel trailer or fifth wheel may not notice a flat or a blown tire until too late. Always inspect your tires regularly for defects, and ensure tire pressure is at the right level before setting out. Investing in a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that will cover all tires could spare you a disaster.
Source: KUTV.com
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RVT1219b
Thank you, Russ and Tina, for the news! Yes, a TPMS with sensors for all RV tires and and those of any towed vehicles is of great importance. We went cheap when buying an after-market system and sensors for RV #1, consciiusly omitting sensors for our towed Jeep. A Jeep tire blew out and we had no idea until good Samaritans convinced us to stop. Most of the tire was gone with only a small (~1/2-inch thick) band around the rim. We very easily could have started a fire that at least would have damaged, if not completely destroyed, the Jeep and RV. Perhaps we, too, could have ignited a wildfire. Thankfully, no fire and the Jeep was fully repaired in a week. Have a great day and safe travels!