Tuesday, August 21 at 9:34 PM
Dispatch received a report of a bonfire next to a bridge in Cache Junction with persons at that location jumping from the bridge into the Bear River. Newton Fire was paged by dispatch to respond to the report of a fire in a fire restricted area.
Engine 50 and Brush 50 from Newton Fire responded with 3A222 of the Cache County Fire District. The fire was located next to a Union Pacific railroad bridge where the bridge crosses the Bear River, some distance from State Road 23 in Cache Junction and down a dirt road along the railroad right of way.
Brush 50 responded down the dirt road towards the railroad bridge and found several vehicles parked along the tracks and a large group of people also along the tracks between the bridge and the cars. It appeared that the fire had been mostly extinguished, but with the large number of vehicles and persons involved on private property posted as no trespassing, Engine 50’s crew continued in to assist until law enforcement could arrive.
When a CCSO Deputy arrived and had discussed the matter with CCFD and Newton Fire personnel, the Deputy made contact with the persons in the party and further advised them of the fire restrictions as well as their unauthorized access to the posted railroad right of way. The Deputy invited the group to leave the area and encouraged them not to return.
One of the persons involved had received a laceration to her foot while walking from the bridge towards the vehicles. The laceration was treated by Newton EMS personnel already on scene and she was released at the scene, no transport to a hospital was necessary.
When all of the persons in the group had left the scene all fire and law enforcement personnel cleared.