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SALT LAKE CITY — The Sandhurst Fire, which ignited Saturday near Ensign Peak, prompted mandatory evacuation orders for several nearby homes.
Forty homes were impacted as crews fought the fire around the clock. Police lifted the evacuation orders late Sunday night.
Residents of the affected neighborhood endured a challenging and exhausting 24 hours. Roger Hobbs, a local resident who was told to evacuate says he was watching KSL-TV Saturday when meteorologist Kristen Van Dyke first spotted the fire on trail cameras.
"I ran out of the house and thought, 'That's my backyard,'" Hobbs said, describing the immediate panic he felt. "It's scary to death up here,"
Not their first close call
Hobbs also added that this was the eighth or ninth time his home had been threatened by fire. As the flames intensified, Hobbs and his neighbors were placed under mandatory evacuation orders.
"My wife got the hose out, did the roofs, packed the bags, and we were ready to go," he said.
While watching the fire from a safe distance, Hobbs and his neighbors anxiously awaited updates.
"Thank God it moved west," he said. "They were with us, standing there worried about their houses, so high fives were happening when retardant was getting dropped in a good spot."
'War zone'
Hobbs said the scene around the neighborhood resembled a war zone, with numerous crews on the ground and in the air.
"The helicopters would hold out, wait for the planes, and go back in," Hobbs said.
Despite the rocky and steep terrain, fire crews managed to gain some control over the fire, giving Hobbs a temporary sense of safety.
"When I hear fireworks, I just sit right here and make sure they don't catch," Hobbs said, showing a video from a couple of years ago when another fire scorched the property line just feet from his home. "I look forward to snow; I really enjoy myself when it rains because I don't have to worry about it that night."
Hobbs is now urging others to be cautious.
"Be careful because we're just getting started," he said.
The wildfire was reported to be about 204 acres with 0% containment. Crews say the fire came within half a mile of homes. The cause is still unknown but investigators are on the scene.
