Structural fire at Paria Estates destroys buildings and car

by Phil Clark

A shed is destroyed by a fire that broke out at a home in Paria Estates this past weekend. Photo courtesy of Fire Chief, Big Water Fire Department.

A structural fire broke out at 11885 New Paria Road in the Paria Estates, south of Highway 89, between Big Water and Kanab, Utah, on July 18, 2021.

According to Pat Horning, Chief of the Big Water Fire Department, a fan motor in an evaporative cooling tower next to the shed caught fire. The fire spread to the shed and then to the nearby residence and car parked at the residence. A resident of the home suffered minor burns and was treated and released at the scene. Due to the heat of the fire and high summer temperatures, some of the fire fighters showed signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion.

Fire at Paria Estates that destroyed the shed, home and car of the resident. Photo courtesy of Fire Chief, Big Water Fire Department.

Big Water, Kanab and State of Utah Wildland Fire Departments initially responded with a total of six engines and crews and worked on the fire, which had spread to nearby dry vegetation.

According to Horning, due to the lack of fire hydrants and insufficient water storage to fight the fire, the fire crews focused on preventing the spread of the fire to other residences and structures. Two of the engines were used to ferry water from the Paria Estates water well as well as hydrants at Clark Bench.

Classic Lifeguard and ambulances from Big Water and Kanab provided care to the resident and firefighters. Kane County Sheriff deputies provided manpower and scene control. Bureau of Land Management fire crews joined Big Water and Utah State crews to monitor and fight the fire overnight to prevent the fire from spreading.

The cooling tower, residence, shed and car were a total loss.