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Team coverageA huge fire burned in Corner Canyon in the southeast part of the Salt Lake Valley Monday afternoon. At one point, residents of about 60 homes were forced to evacuate.
The mandatory evacuation order was lifted Monday night, and as of 8 p.m. residents were allowed to go back to their homes. This despite the fact that the winds picked up about the same time. That has been a major concern for the firefighters. They will be keeping an eye on the fire, which has moved away from the homes, through the night.
Firefighters attacked the flames from the air and on the ground near 13800 South and 2000 East. In a short period of time, what began as reports of smoke in the mountains east of Draper quickly consumed about 600 acres.
One evacuee said, "I was overwhelmed, and we just evacuated and got what we could out and our family out."
As winds pushed the fire from south to north, flames began to threaten about 200 homes. Fifty to 60 of them had to be evacuated.
Another evacuated resident said, "We saw the way that the smoke was coming this morning and saw the direction. I kind of started packing stuff up and had most of it in the garage in case we did need to go. We started loading stuff in the car."
Meanwhile, fire crews pushed on. Planes and helicopters dumped water and fire retardant. More than 100 firefighters were able to protect the homes.
Jeff Stenquist of the Draper City Council said, "I'm pleased how our emergency responders have acted in this emergency, and I think we're handling it very well."
Dry grass, brush and small trees are fueling the fire. At its peak, the burning vegetation sent large plumes of smoke into the air which could be seen for miles. The worst of it may be over, but firefighters say there is still concern.
Stenquist said, "They're expecting that as the evening progresses they might get some down-canyon winds coming that could move the flames down the canyon."
A hiker was trapped on the mountain east of the fire before being rescued by a medical helicopter and transported to the hospital.
As families who were ordered to evacuate fled their homes, there was little time for discussion. They grabbed kids, pets, pictures, and a few simple valuables.
It's the kind of emergency we're all supposed to plan for, and many families found out today whether they can pull it off. Neighbors out in their driveways made quick decisions and helped each other in a critical time.
People on Bear Mountain Drive, Grizzly Hollow Cove, and Kodiak Court packed up and fled.
Alexis Maylett said she was "a little flustered."
It was the first ever evacuation of these neighborhoods and the first major fire in the Salt Lake Valley this summer.
Tammy Larson said, "It's a frantic thing when they tell you to get everything that is precious to you."
Alexis Maylett said, "We're just trying to get everything out that we need that's really important."
Neighbors shared trailers, muscle and composure.
Tammy Larson told us, "It's very nerve wracking. Neighbors that we know and have known for years, their homes are in danger and their families are rapidly evacuating."
They were ready to leave as quickly as they could.
Maylett said, "Family photos, jewelry that we might need for something, all our family history, our pets, our animals, everything that we couldn't live without."
Some homeowners wanted one last bit of hope and protection.
Jeff Eastman said, "Hoses, sprinklers, anything we can do to get that ground wet up there."
Many neighbors didn't run too far and waited and watched as firefighters attacked the flames.
At Juan Diego High School, an emergency evacuation center was set up for anyone who needed help or didn't have a place to go.
Kathy Luke of the American Red Cross said, "People can come and get information and get cool and get snacks, and if necessary, shelter for this evening."
Fortunately, everyone went home earlier than expected. Fewer than a dozen people showed up at the emergency center as firefighters kept the flames from homes.
Everyone was able to return home again. If your neighborhood could be vulnerable, take advice from these people: make sure you have a plan.
The Unified Fire Authority's mandatory evacuation order included all homes east of Highland Drive From Bear Ridge Cove to Pioneer Road, as well as the intersection of Pioneer Road and Highland Drive and all homes east along Pioneer Drive through Bear Hills Circle.
The roads and neighborhoods affected were the following:
Unified Fire established temporary public information phone numbers to obtain information about the fire. The phone numbers available for public information are:
E-mail: ngonzales @ksl.com
E-mail: tcallan@ksl.com
