Suspect arrested in Big Cottonwood Canyon fires; officials say outcome could have been worse

BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON, Utah — Authorities arrested a man Tuesday accused of intentionally setting multiple small fires in the Mount Olympus Wilderness area, according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Rosie Rivera said witnesses reported seeing the suspect ignite several fires around 2:30 p.m. along the north side of the canyon.

A Utah National Guard helicopter in the area initially tracked the suspect from the air until a helicopter from the Utah Department of Public Safety arrived to assist. Deputies were then transported into the rugged terrain by air and took the suspect into custody Tuesday evening. He was later removed from the mountainside by helicopter.

 

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The suspect’s identity has not been released, and potential charges are under investigation.

Rivera said none of the fires spread and appeared to extinguish on their own, but warned the outcome could have been far more severe under different conditions.

“If this had been later in the summer, those fires likely would have grown significantly,” she told Fox 13, adding that the quick actions of a witness who called 911 helped prevent a potentially dangerous situation.

The Unified Fire Authority and the U.S. Forest Service assisted in the response.