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Mayor Staley and Chief Matt Evans report few fireworks fires, unveil new $900,000 engine
Summary
Mayor Staley and Chief Matt Evans said Washington City saw fewer fireworks incidents than typical over the July 4 holiday amid a drought-driven fireworks ban; the briefing also highlighted a newly delivered $900,000 Pierce engine and statewide resource strains under stage 2 fire restrictions.
Mayor Staley and Chief Matt Evans on Monday reported that Washington City experienced fewer fireworks-related incidents than in past years over the July 4 holiday and highlighted a newly delivered Pierce fire engine funded by the city.
"We didn't have any fire incidents at all on Friday," Chief Matt Evans said, describing an overstaffed shift on July 3 that nonetheless responded to 16 medical calls. Mayor Staley said those medical calls and existing drought conditions were part of the rationale for the city's decision to restrict fireworks over the holiday weekend.
The chief said July 4 was "quiet here in Washington," but reported three small fires that he believes were fireworks-related. "Once started a fire up here on the reserve," he said, adding that two other fires began when used fireworks were disposed of in a garbage can and in dumpsters; crews contained the incidents and damage was minor.
The briefing also showcased a new 2026 Pierce engine the council budgeted $900,000 to buy and about $350,000 to outfit. "We ordered it three years ago," Chief Evans said, adding the apparatus rolled in from Appleton, Wisconsin and was purchased with cash. He said the $900,000 price is roughly twice what the city paid for a comparable engine in 2018 and that the arrival brings the fleet up to date.
Beyond local incidents, Chief Evans described strained statewide resources. He said some older fires are shrinking while newer blazes — including what he called the Babylon Fire — are growing, and that the state has decided not to send local resources outside Utah because in-state resources are already spread thin.
The chief outlined the state's stage 2 fire restrictions on unincorporated state lands, saying the rules "take away the opportunity to have any kind of fire" on those lands, including campfires or open-pit fires even in approved campgrounds.
Mayor Staley and Chief Evans thanked residents for complying with restrictions and helping protect firefighters and property. The mayor closed the briefing by identifying the speakers and noting the recording date as Monday, July 6.
The update contained no formal votes or directives; it was presented as an informational public-safety briefing.
