Wasatch Fire marks 35th anniversary of deadly Cascade Springs blaze

Cascade Springs in Wasatch County. Photo: U.S. Forest Service

WASATCH COUNTY — This week, Wasatch Fire marked the 35th anniversary of the Wasatch Mountain Fire, which began near Cascade Springs and claimed the lives of two men. The blaze is believed to have been sparked by an unattended campfire.

The fire was first reported on August 26, 1990, in the heat of the afternoon. With winds reaching 40–50 mph, it quickly grew out of control.

“Deputy Blake V. Wright of the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Department and Wasatch County Public Works employee Ralph M. Broadhead were called in to help fight the fire,” Wasatch Fire noted. “Without hesitation they both rushed to help.”

Broadhead operated a bulldozer while Wright maintained radio contact with the crew. After several hours, a sudden wind shift trapped the two men. Their final transmission was, “The fire is all around us,” according to Wasatch Fire.

Rescue crews were dispatched, but the flames were impassable. Their bodies were recovered the following day. Reports later confirmed the fire reached an estimated 1,100 degrees at their location. The bulldozer’s windows melted, and the fire had completely engulfed the area.

By the time more than 300 firefighters extinguished the blaze, it had destroyed 19 homes and burned over 2,600 acres near Bonanza Flat, Oak Haven, and the Swiss Oaks subdivisions.

Remembering the fallen

Ralph Broadhead had been married to his wife, Mary, for nearly 45 years. He was the father of five and grandfather of 10. A 24-year county employee, he had been planning to retire that November. Broadhead is honored with a stone monument at the southeast corner of Main and Center Street in Heber City.

Blake Wright, just 38 years old, left behind his wife and six children — five sons and one daughter, ranging in age from 13 years to just 11 months. He had served at the Sheriff’s Office for 10 years. Wright is remembered with a Plaque of Honor at the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial at the State Capitol.

“August 26, 1990, remains one of the darkest days in Wasatch County history,” Wasatch Fire wrote in its tribute. “We will never forget these two men who selflessly served our community.”