WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah — A brush fire in a ravine straddling the southern Utah communities of Hurricane and LaVerkin stretched 50 acres late Sunday afternoon and threatened several homes.

The fire began around 5:30 p.m. along the Virgin River in an off-road riding area of Confluence Park known as The Sand Chute. It was named the Old Dump Fire for the trash dump that used to be in the area.

The fire moved quickly, Washington County Fire Warden Heber Heyder said, marching up the side of the ravine toward a home.

“It could have gotten really bad. It could have come up, spotted over this ridge top, and just kept going through the grass and sage and then into this neighborhood,” Heyder said.

“There were several homes threatened. This one that we're at foremost,” Heyder added. “But we got c

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