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SALT LAKE CITY — Firefighters say they believe they are making strong progress as they continue to battle a wildfire that sparked Saturday in the foothills near Ensign Peak, but some mandatory evacuations remain in effect for homes near the blaze.
Utah fire officials posted on social media late Saturday that the fire, dubbed the Sandhurst Fire, is now estimated at 200 acres and that approximately 20 homes are evacuated.
The Northern Utah Type 3 Incident Management Team, led by the state, is now overseeing firefighting efforts. Crews are expected to remain at the scene Saturday night and Sunday morning.
"We do have good control of the fire," said Salt Lake City Fire spokesman Bob Silverthorne, in a briefing Saturday evening before state firefighters took command of operations. "The wind has sort of mellowed out ... in our favor."
However, mandatory evacuations still apply to some residents after about 40 homes were evacuated by Sandhurst Drive north of Dorchester Drive, including Twickenham Drive, Silverthorne said. He added that police were able to make contact with everyone in the area without any issues.
Voluntary evacuations were also in place for residents north of Ensign Vista Drive along East Capitol to North Cove because of the fire. The east building of the Utah Capitol was available for short-term gathering for evacuees. Silverthorne called it "sort of a safe haven right now if people have been evacuated and if they want to get out of the heat."
Gov. Spencer Cox posted on social platform X that the state was "aware" of the situation.
"The Utah Capital is open as an evacuation center. Stay safe, Utah!" he wrote.
City Creek Canyon and the canyon road were also closed. Radio towers, the City Creek watershed and multiple other structures were threatened, Utah Fire Info — a combination of state and federal firefighting agencies — posted on social media.
Multiple agencies deployed fire trucks, helicopters and planes that dumped water and fire retardant to attack the fire. Over 100 firefighters responded to the scene.
The Sandhurst Fire was first reported as a brush fire shortly before 4:30 p.m. and soon required a larger response. It wasn't immediately clear what sparked the fire and that remains under investigation.
Salt Lake City firefighters don't currently have an estimated fire size or containment percentage. But crews initially faced tough conditions, including strong wind gusts.
"With the heat as well as the wind direction, just the temperatures out here and the fuel moisture out here, it's kind of a recipe that we could have a quickly running fire," he said. "So of course we want to make early notifications (for evacuees) as much as we can."
The wind started blowing the fire southwest late Saturday afternoon, sending thick smoke through Hells Canyon west of Ensign Peak.
Silverthorne said the conditions haven't been ideal for firefighting efforts. Back-to-back wet winters led to more vegetation growth, which has dried in recent months. Salt Lake City hasn't received measurable rain since June 21, which is the only day it has received measurable rain since meteorological summer began at the start of June.
The U.S. Drought Monitor now lists the area as "abnormally dry," as well.
"Because we had such a wet winter, it leads to high fuel content" in vegetation," Silverthorne explained. "That moisture content can be down really fast, especially with this heat. ... We always caution people — have a defensible space around your area."
Salt Lake police posted on social media to ask people to stay away from the area while firefighters work to get control of the fire. Residents staying away will allow fire crews to have enough space to work safely, they said.
Officers also turned away a handful of people who tried to enter Memory Grove because helicopters could land in the area for water. Police and firefighters say people should not go anywhere north of the Utah Capitol if they don't need to be there.
The public is also asked to not fly drones near wildfires, which could cause aviation resources to be grounded," fire officials said. With Pioneer Day approaching next week, Silverthorne also advised residents to be careful lighting off fireworks.
"Please, please, please abide by the firework-restricted areas," he said. "Be heads up in your community."
Contributing: Briana Chavez
