DRAPER, Utah -- The Suncrest Community in Draper is one of the most high risk areas in the state for wildfires.
That's the reason the city took a big step toward reducing that risk and protecting homes on Thursday.
The area has seen some huge fires in the past, like Corner Canyon and Alpine. And to prevent anything like that from happening in the future, the state is helping the city become a fire wise community.
To do that, Draper City and the Unified Fire Authority were given a $216,000 grant from the state to make Suncrest fire safe by educating the public and removing the overgrowth of dry brush and trees.
“What we try to do is to remove as much as the oak brush as possible that's younger, lower or dead, and that way the taller stuff can keep growing and the lower stuff is removed and usually the fire travels through the lower fuels so once those are removed it reduces the risks significantly,” said Riley Pilgrim, a captain with the Unified Fire Authority.
Crews are also helping the community know what things they can get rid of near their home to protect themselves in case of a fire. Fire crews will be out in Suncrest five days a week until September and then back for the next several summers to finish the project.
