Residents near Salt Lake's Red Butte Canyon urged to prepare to evacuate if needed

SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City firefighters Sunday afternoon urged some residents near a fire burning above the University of Utah campus to prepare to evacuate should the need arise.

"This does not mean there is an immediate threat but is simply to help residents prepare in case the fire behavior increases in the direction of the community," state fire managers said on X on the Utah Fire Info page.

Those in the Arlingon Hills area (11th Avenue to Tomahawk Drive) are at "ready" status, meaning firefighters urge them to prepare to leave at any time.

Crews were called about 6 p.m. Saturday to the fire in the area of 1950 E. Circle of Hope Dr. on the east side of the university. As of Sunday evening, it was mapped at 495 acres with 5% containment, Salt Lake firefighters said.

Red Butte Gardens and the Utah Museum of Natural History remain open, officials said, "with cautions to visitors to stay alert to fire updates." Businesses on the U. campus and nearby hospitals also aren't impacted.

On Sunday, the fire had crested Mount Van Cott and moved "slowly down the mountain," fire officials said.

"Firefighters are working diligently to keep the fire from progressing further east and keeping it away from Emigration Canyon, one of the largest wildland urban interface areas in the nation. There are currently no impacts at this time to the canyon, but residents should continue to follow fire updates," Utah Fire Info managers said.

Cooler temperatures overnight into Monday morning were expected to cause smoke to settle in the valley, which should lift by midmorning as temperatures increase again, according to the update.

"Those with sensitive health conditions should take the necessary precautions. The increase in smoke does not necessarily mean an increase in fire behavior. We ask that residents continue to avoid the area and trails," fire officials noted.

They said police officers are patrolling trails looking for people violating drone restrictions.

"Today we had a drone intrusion. When unauthorized drones are present, firefighting helicopters and aircraft are forced to suspend operations, delay suppression efforts, and increasing the risk to both responders and the community," Utah Fire Info said.

Firefighters advise residents to monitor updates on UtahFireInfo.gov, review evacuation plans with family members, gather important documents, prepare pets and livestock for a possible evacuation, make sure vehicles are ready to leave if needed and be "ready to move to a 'set' or 'go' status with little notice."

Firefighters ask that residents do not call 911 for evacuation info, except in the case of an actual emergency.

On Saturday, within about three hours of the fire starting, a campus alert went out to U. students requesting them to shelter in place. The request was lifted about midnight.

Kathy Willets, University of Utah Health spokeswoman, said the facility wasn't evacuating but was in "divert" mode on Saturday evening, meaning ambulances and vehicles were temporarily diverted to other hospitals.

"So far, all of our staff are working together; these are the kinds of things we train for all the time, so we've been asked to stay in place … there's not great to our buildings at this time," she said.

"A lot of people can smell smoke in the building, so they're trying to calm the patients … but care is moving forward as usual, and we're just cooperating with police and fire as they manage the situation," she said.

Contributing: Alex Tumalip, Garna Mejia

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