Fire at Sandhurst on Ensign Peak in Salt Lake City forces evacuation

A wildfire broke out on a mountaintop above Salt Lake City on Saturday afternoon, forcing the evacuation of dozens of nearby homes.

Salt Lake City Police Department issued a map of a residential area north of the Utah Capitol building near Ensign Peak where mandatory evacuation orders were in effect. An evacuation center has been established at the Capitol.

Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft battled the fire, which was fueled by dry brush, police said. Authorities asked people to leave the city’s Memory Grove Park so helicopters could use it to bring in water to fight the fire.

This video, taken from the KCGL-FM radio tower and looking south, shows the fire still burning and growing.

Firefighters working at this location tell us that the wind is constantly shifting, making it difficult for them to predict which direction the fire will move. #SLC #SLCPD #Salt Lake City photo.twitter.com/ALJdvM45Dy

— Salt Lake City Police (@slcpd) July 21, 2024

High temperatures are raising the risk of wildfires in the West this weekend, with some 60 major wildfires already burning from Washington state to New Mexico.

“Given the heat, the wind direction, the temperatures here and the moisture of the fuel, it’s kind of a recipe that we could have a fast-moving fire,” Salt Lake City Fire Chief Bob Silverthorne told reporters.

Silverthorne said the cause of the fire, called Sandhurst, has not yet been determined. About 100 firefighters have been deployed to battle the blaze, he said.

Ensign Peak is a popular weekend destination for hikers, but Silverthorne said he didn’t know if anyone was currently hiking in the area. The City Creek Canyon trail area is closedaccording to police, and people are asked to avoid the area.