SLC Fire transitions to wildfire response preparedness for summer season

SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City firefighters are gearing up for what could be a dangerous holiday fire season, after getting a taste Sunday when a wildland fire blew up to 200 acres south of Interstate 80.

In the middle of the Avenues, truck E-6041 sits in Fire Station 4, ready for what summer could bring for the station’s crew.

Capt. Scott Winkler opened side doors that line the truck, filled with specialized equipment like chainsaws and axes.

“The axes and brush hooks that you would see mainly on a forest service crew, we have all that,” Winkler said.

That equipment is for emergency calls that go beyond the scope of their typical city response duties. Winkler pulled out a large red bag filled with wildfire helmets, goggles and fire shelters.

“Things that are very unique to the wildland firefighting world,” he explained.

The equipment in truck E-6041 came in handy Sunday after two wildland fires started on the west side of Salt Lake City near the airport. One was quickly controlled at five acres, the other shut down two highways, a railway and led to flight delays.

I-80 fire is 100% contained, dubbed the ‘Wiley Post Fire’

Truck E-6041 and the Station 4 crew were seen out at the five-acre fire, making sure they extinguished all hot spots in the field.

Winkler said the Salt Lake Valley experienced its first red flag warning for the year, and that warning delivered on its threat.

It’s a sign of changing seasons for the fire crew as they transition to preparedness for wildfires.

“That wildland fire component starts becoming a major part of our job during the summer months right on through fall,” he said.

That’s why Winkler’s been training his crew the past month, specifically for this kind of call. He described how they make sure they re-familiarize themselves with tactics and the specialized equipment. Their specific wildland trucks that can travel off road and drive while pumping out water sit parked in the bays ready to jet out.

A lot of dry, grassy territory outside of neighborhoods and homes in the Avenues and beyond is still inside Salt Lake City limits, Winkler indicated.

“Just like a regular medical emergency or structure fire, we’re ready to jump on those, take the specialized equipment, and transition right into wildland firefighting — whether it be structure protection or dedicated backcountry firefighting,” he said. “For example, up in City Creek Canyon where we have the major watershed.”

He said the thousands of acres of watershed contains critical infrastructure for Salt Lake City. If a fire breaks, it’s up to them to make sure it doesn’t blow up into a major blaze.

With the Fourth of July holiday coming up, they’ll be on standby for whatever kind of situation sparks.

“Ready to go at a moment’s notice,” Winkler said, as he put the equipment away.

He noted that in the Avenues, fireworks are not allowed, and their crew will be watching for people illegally lighting them off.