Four fires ignited in the Millcrevent-Holladay area from Sunday evening to Tuesday morning during a record-breaking heat wave. The mid-July fires occurred amidst extreme temperatures that have presented additional challenges for emergency response crews.
On Tuesday morning, crews were dispatched to a home in the Holladay neighborhood after a resident reported heavy flames in the garage. The fire, categorized as a first alarm, fully engulfed the garage. Residents and pets evacuated the home safely during the incident. Responding agencies included Unified Fire Authority, Salt Lake City Fire, and South Salt Lake Fire.
This incident marked the fourth fire in the Millcreek-Holladay area within a 48-hour period. From Sunday night to Monday morning, crews also responded to a fast-moving grass fire near the Tanner Park Trailhead that burned approximately four acres of land. Officials stated that firefighters prevented that fire from spreading to nearby homes.
Two other fires occurred during the same timeframe. A second fire ignited Sunday night in a multi-dwelling residential structure, which was fully engulfed by flames; residents evacuated safely as crews worked for several hours to extinguish it. Hours later, another fire broke out in the attic of a home, requiring firefighters to work for just over an hour. Residents from that fire were treated at the scene for potential smoke inhalation.
Fire officials stated there is no common theme among the four fires other than bad luck. However, Battalion Chief John Wilde noted that the recent heat wave has taken a toll on personnel, reporting that one firefighter was treated on scene for minor heat exhaustion. Wilde added that work cycles are expected to be briefer than normal due to the heat.
The causes of all four fires remain under investigation.
