The federal government is suing a Utah construction company for 1.6 million dollars. According to the Deseret News, the suit is to cover costs having to do with fire suppression after a 2200-acre blaze near Alpine was started by a track hoe.

The company hired a subcontractor to do a geotechnical study, which included using a track hoe to do some excavating. At one point the track hoe stalled and workers used an ignition accelerant to get it started. This caused the engine to run hotter than normal, and sparks set off the dry grasses in the area. The fire burned for a week and was known as the Quail Fire. Red flag warnings were issued that day and there was no water truck nearby to wet down the tinder-like vegetation.

As we are in the midst of fire season, please remember to follow guidelines regarding fire prevention and safety. Use common sense. Please take industry-standard precautions seriously and implement them on your sites. Besides the damage that a fire can cause, we hate to see hard-working Utah contractors face such dire consequences for simple mistakes. Stay safe out there!