SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah — A wildfire in Saratoga Springs sparked conversations around community safety in the city Thursday night, with the heat of summer just around the corner.
Saratoga Springs Fire Chief Kenny Johnson says a group of four or five people were out target shooting on the southern end of town around 10 a.m. Thursday, when their bullets set the vegetation in the hillsides around them aflame.
Johnson says the group called it in themselves, which helped them to stop the fire at less than five acres. But it serves as a serious reminder of the dangers the months ahead can pose.
It happened a matter of hours before Johnson and state fire officials hosted a community wildfire meeting.
“Our area is prone to wildfire - it’s important we prepare for that,” said Johnson.
The meeting covered a wide range of topics, from creating defensible spaces to requirements for fire pits and fireworks to rolling out the new high risk wildland urban interface (WUI) maps.
But they pointed to target shooting as a primary cause for local wildfires. Fire officials say 80% of the wildfires they’ve battled within the city over the past two years were a result of this activity.
Johnson also pointed out that Thursday’s shooting happened within city limits, which is illegal.
“It’s quite unnerving to have a gun shooting a block away from your house,” one attendee remarked.
While this particular incident is still being investigated, officials warned during the meeting that when you cause a fire, it’s possible you will foot the bill for damages caused.
“That’s just an extra level of caution that people need to take, because it can be very expensive to fight wildfires,” Johnson said.
A fast response, greener vegetation and lower temperatures supported firefighters today. But as things dry out even more, they say there may not be such a quick resolution.
“This was 10 a.m., when temperatures didn’t even hit their peak,” said Saratoga Springs Fire Marshal Darren Wright. “We didn't have a lot of wind. We got lucky on this one. If this was a couple weeks from now - that fire would’ve been a whole different fire. It could’ve really taken off on us.”
While some other Wasatch cities have already explored cancelling firework events, Johnson expects that the show will go on for their Saratoga Splash Days - which begins next week.
Fire officials also say they plan to put up signs soon along those hillsides in the city to remind people that shooting there is illegal, noting there are nearby shooting ranges and areas to recreate safely.
