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Park City Fire Marshal Mike Owens said the Sept. 9 wildfire north of Kimball Junction was around 50 feet long and 10 feet wide but was easily managed and didn’t threaten any structures.
Owens said they determined the fire was started by a bird that got tangled up in nearby power lines.
Despite the extremely dry conditions this summer, the fire marshal said the Park City area has fared well.
“What I really want to credit the people of Park City and our area with is we’ve had one wildfire within the Park City Fire District this year,” he said on KPCW’s “Locals News Hour” Sept. 15. “Absolutely amazing that that’s what happened.”
Owens said the fire district did make some changes this year, such as staffing up during red flag warnings. Red flag warnings indicate that wildfires could grow at a much faster rate due to conditions like high winds, high temperatures and low humidity.
“We had more firefighters dedicated solely to wildland firefighting and that worked out really well,” Owens said. “Luckily we didn’t need them this year, but the vehicles were ready. The staff was ready, and they were actually patrolling the area as well. So they weren’t just waiting for something to call in. They were out driving around so that they would be in their vehicles ready to go if a call did come in.”
Fire restrictions remain in place for Park City limits. However, in unincorporated Summit County, restrictions have gone down to level one.
“Now we’ve dropped back to level one, where people can go back to having their camp fires roasting hot dogs outside on the cool evenings, but just doing it within those fire pits and having running water present,” Owens said.
With winter approaching, Owens said residents should make sure their chimneys are clean. He also recommends checking any carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are working. The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning can increase as more people begin using heaters.
Separately, Owens said homeowners should ensure their gas meters are protected as loads of snow or large icicles can pose a threat.
He also said residents planning to leave their properties for an extended amount of time should make sure all electronics are unplugged.
