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- Voluntary evacuations lifted for Ensign Peak fire but roads remain closed.
- Firefighters, aided by helicopters and planes, have contained 50% of the blaze.
- The fire, burning over 30 acres, began amid critical fire weather conditions.
SALT LAKE CITY — Voluntary evacuations from a grass fire burning near Ensign Peak in Salt Lake City have been lifted, but some roads remain closed as firefighters seek to fully extinguish it.
The Salt Lake City Fire Department reported the blaze at 1135 N. Twickenham Drive just after 1:15 p.m. Homes are threatened and some voluntary evacuations were ordered, according to state firefighters. The fire was "encroaching on some of the property" in the area, including the homes, said Salt Lake City Fire Capt. Chad Jepperson..
No buildings caught fire, though he said he did not know whether any sustained superficial damage. One person was treated for minor injuries, he added.
Nearly 50 city firefighters were still dispatched to the fire Wednesday afternoon, with the state providing wildland crews and helicopters dropping water, and planes dropping fire retardant. Those have helped slow the fire, while winds have been pushing the fire downhill, which is helping protect homes in the area above, Jepperson said.
The fire is now estimated to have already burned 13 to 25 acres and is 50% contained.
"It does look like we're getting a pretty good handle on this fire, but there is still active fire at this time," he said.
Officials have determined the fire was caused by human activity, but have yet to identify how it was started.
Victory Road, Columbus Street and Dorchester Drive are all closed because of firefighting activity.
The fire is located south of the same subdivision that was threatened by the Sandhurst Fire in 2024, which ultimately burned over 200 acres near Hell Canyon, west of Ensign Peak. No homes were lost to the fire, but it served as a stark reminder of the risks homes in the Capitol Hill, Avenues and East Bench areas face when there are dry conditions.
Wednesday's fire began as fire conditions ramped up across the state. Just in the last week, brush fires have burned in Saratoga Springs, American Fork and Tooele.
A red flag warning was issued for many areas close to the Wasatch Front over a mix of strong winds and low relative humidity, which combine to create "critical fire weather," according to the National Weather Service. Red flag warnings were also issued for many parts of southern and eastern Utah.
A low-pressure system passing through Idaho is helping increase wind gusts across the Wasatch Front, said KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson. It will be less gusty on Thursday after that system passes, which may reduce fire weather concerns.
This story will be updated. To be notified about updates, please click Follow This Story below on the KSL app.
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