FARMINGTON -- About 50 firefighters were fighting a Wednesday night brush fire covering at least 5 acres on the mountainside above Farmington in Rudd Canyon.
The fire was burning about 1,000 feet above homes on the east side of Farmington.
The fire started around 6:20 p.m. when Davis County sheriff's deputies suspect three people were shooting assault rifles and other long guns at explosive targets in an area that is illegal for shooting, said Davis County Sheriff's Sgt. Susan Poulsen.
The two men and one woman called in the fire after they realized they could not put it out themselves.
Late Wednesday, the fire was still uncontained, said Kathy Jo Pollock, spokeswoman for the Forest Service.
A helicopter was dropping water on the blaze, but at 9 p.m., firefighters had yet to establish a solid line around the fire.
One firefighter had to leave the scene because of minor heat exhaustion.
Poulsen said a hiker who was above the fire had to go up and over to escape it. The hiker is fine, she said.
Davis County sheriff's officials said the three people were being interviewed and are facing possible charges of reckless burning and shooting in an illegal area.
When asked whether the fact that the trio called in the fire and is cooperating with police will help their case, Poulsen said, "I'm sure it'll be taken into consideration."
She said the three did do something that was reckless.
"Whoa, look at that," said Ross Mann, a Fruit Heights resident who came up to Farmington to watch firefighters battle the blaze. He could see several hot spots on the mountain from his vantage point on 100 East.
With him was Sadie Love, who was watching her father, a battalion chief for Farmington Fire Department, as he and his crew worked into the night.
Love was worried about him, but said she knew he would be fine, adding, "It's what they live for, I can tell you that. They train all year for this."
As she and Mann watched the fire, Love commented on how it could easily spread in any direction, because all it takes is one little spark to be carried by the wind.
Pollock said down-canyon winds were expected Wednesday night, which may make fighting the fire more difficult.
Despite a recent spate of grassfires, many possibly caused by fireworks, Pollock said Utah is still in monsoon season with rainy weather.
However, she said if it dries up, we could be entering fire season, and she cautions everyone who is thinking about camping or going target shooting to "please be careful."
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