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Photos: One year ago today, Grand Bear fire brings 57 fire departments to fight Memorial Day blaze

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One year ago today, a multi-unit fire of cabins at Grand Bear Resort in Utica drew firefighters from as far as Grundy, Will and Kendall counties.

Large flames engulf several cabins at Grand Bear Resort on Monday, May 30, 2022. High winds made it difficult for firefighters to battle the flames.Firefighters fight a five-alarm fire that burned cabins at the Grand Bear Resort on Monday, May 30, 2022, in Utica. Firefighters fight a five-alarm fire on several cabins at the Grand Bear Resort on Monday, May 30, 2022, in Utica. A total of 57 fire departments and 13 MABAS division assisted at the scene, said Drew Partain, assistant Utica fire chief.Large flames engulf several cabins at Grand Bear Resort on Monday, May 30, 2022. High winds made it extremely difficult for firefighters to battle the flames. Flames emit from several cabins at Grand Bear Resort as firefighters work to extinguish the blaze. Strong winds pushed the flames to neighboring cabins.Firefighters fight a five-alarm fire that burned cabins at the Grand Bear Resort on Monday, May 30, 2022 in Utica.La Salle firefighters use their aerial fire truck to fight a five-alarm fire at the Grand Bear Resort on Monday, May 30, 2022 in Utica.Ottawa firefighters use their aerial fire truck to extinguish flames at Grand Bear Resort on Monday, May 30, 2022.Fire trucks from Morris, Minooka, Plainfield, Braidwood and Wilmington travel to the scene of a five-alarm fire at Grand Bear Resort on Monday, May 30, 2022 in Utica. Two Mutual Aid Box Alarm Systems brought firefighters from Bureau, Putnam, and Grundy County along with departments from Morris, Minooka, Plainfield, Braidwood, Wilmington and Newark to fight the fire at Grand Bear Resort on Monday, May 30, 2022 in Utica.Firefighters bring in excavators to help push debris away from flames while fighting a five-alarm fire that burned cabins at the Grand Bear Resort on Monday, May 30, 2022 in Utica.Flames emit from several cabins at Grand Bear Resort as firefighters work to extinguish the blaze. Strong winds pushed the flames to neighboring cabins. La Salle firefighters use their aerial fire truck to fight a five-alarm fire at the Grand Bear Resort on Monday, May 30, 2022 in Utica.A firefighter runs with a hose Monday, May 30, 2022, toward a cabin unit on fire at Grand Bear Resort in Utica.Cabins at Grand Bear Resort in Utica are engulfed in flames Monday, May 30, 2022.A cabin unit is on fire Monday, May 30, 2022, at Grand Bear Resort in Utica. Firefighters from as far as Grundy, Kendall and Will counties responded to the scene.A cabin unit is engulfed in flames Monday, May 30, 2022, at Grand Bear Resort in Utica.Firefighters responded Monday, May 30, 2022, to what ended up a five-alarm fire at Grand Bear Resort in Utica. At least five units caught fire, containing 20 cabins.Firefighters spray down flames at a multi-unit fire Monday, May 30, 2022, at Grand Bear Resort in Utica.An aerial ladder truck sprays water Monday, May 30, 2022, onto the flames from the cabin fires at Grand Bear Resort in Utica.An aerial ladder truck at the scene of the multi-unit fire Monday, May 30, 2022, at Grand Bear Resort in Utica.Firefighters head into a blaze Monday, May 30, 2022, at Grand Bear Resort in Utica. The fire was a five-alarm fire.

There were no injuries and seven cabin structures were total losses. A total of 57 fire departments and 13 MABAS division assisted at the scene, said Drew Partain, assistant Utica fire chief on May 30, 2022.

The plumes of smoke could be seen for miles outside of Utica.

Utica Fire Chief Brown estimated departments utilized between 5 and 7 million gallons of water in order to extinguish the fire. The fire was determined by the state fire inspector to have started from a charcoal grill and was deemed accidental.

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