Homeowners in a luxury subdivision along the eastern foothills of Bountiful kept their windows closed Wednesday, but otherwise breathed a sigh of relief after an overnight wildfire scare.
The Bountiful-Summerwood Fire began in tinder-dry oak brush and grass about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, and initially burned within about a quarter-mile of the 50-home Summerwood development. However, winds shifted upslope overnight and the blaze, remapped from 150 to just 75 acres, burned into unoccupied BLM and U.S. Forest Service lands.
Fire Information Officer Kim Osborn said the fire was being attacked on both its northern and southern flanks Wednesday. While not officially contained, crews were making good progress in hemming in the blaze with the help of water-bearing helicopters and an air tanker laden with fire retardant chemicals.
About 30 firefighters were on the lines by late Wednesday morning, and Osborn said another two Forest Service hand crews — about 40 personnel — were expected to join the effort by late Wednesday afternoon.
While residents initially were told to prepare to evacuate Tuesday night, no evacuations occurred, Osborn said. No homes were damaged and no injuries reported.
Jeff Bassett. chief of the South Davis Metro Fire District, said firefighting on Wednesday was primarily in the hands of USFS and BLM crews, with the danger to homes long passed.
“We were on the fire all night, but its looking really good today,” he said.
Authorities did advise homeowners to keep their windows closed to avoid occasional, still thick puffs of smoke drifting in from the fire.
The fire began in rugged terrain between the subdivision and City Creek Canyon. It spread quickly due to prevailing hot, dry conditions that made the brush and shrub lands above Bountiful easy prey for the flames.
There is a private shooting range in the area where the fire began, but officials would only say that the cause remained under investigation.
Tunnel Springs Park in North Salt Lake and North Canyon Park in Bountiful remained closed throughout the day, being used as staging areas by firefighters and their equipment.
Bountiful City police added that Mueller Park Canyon and North Canyon also were closed.