VIDEO: On the first day of closed fire season, Lon Allen was getting ready to leave his Kolob Mountain cabin for the evening and looked east toward a terrifying sight — smoke.
Plumes quickly became vertical flames, and noting the harsh drought this season, Allen called for help.
He reached the fire department with an after-hours message. When he called 911, it wouldn't connect due to the remoteness of Kolob and possibly Wi-Fi calling restrictions.
Finally, he called Tom Kuhlmann, chief of the Hurricane Valley Fire District, at home. Kuhlmann said firefighters would respond, but it would take them 40 minutes to get there. At first, Allen thought the fire was close to the Kolob Deer Haven Camp sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But when he got closer on his ATV, he realized how much closer it was.
Allen told his daughter and her boyfriend to grab a shovel and the crew rode toward the flames.