400-Acre Sandhurst fire triggers mandatory evacuations in Salt Lake City

Fire crews battle the Sandhurst Fire. Photo: Salt Lake City Police Department

SALT LAKE CITY — The human-caused Sandhurst wildfire grew to over 400 acres last night and is zero percent contained. Officials in Salt Lake County first reported the fire around 4:30 PM on Saturday, July 20, on Ensign Peak.

According to Division Chief Bob Silverthorne of the Salt Lake City Fire Department, more than six different emergency agencies joined the effort to battle the blaze, including the Park City Fire District, which sent multiple engines to respond.

Silverthorne said, “With the heat, as well as the wind direction and just the temperatures out here and the fuel moisture, it’s kind of a recipe that we could have a quickly running fire.”

Police officers knocked on doors to warn homeowners after the fire department ordered a mandatory evacuation for an area of 40 homes on Sandhurst Drive, north of Dorchester Drive. A voluntary evacuation was ordered Saturday along East Capitol.

Today will be hot, with dry conditions. Firefighters are working to keep the fire out of the communities and City Creek drainage.

Currently, there is no structure damage to homes or the radio towers reported.

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