A 20-acre fire burned close to houses in southwest Salt Lake County on Wednesday night.
Occupants of 10 homes in Herriman, including four in the immediate vicinity, were alerted that evacuation was likely. Some residents voluntarily left. But no one was evacuated by authorities, Unified Fire Authority Capt. Jay Ziolkowski said.
Lightning sparked the blaze, near 6800 West and 15000 South, about 5 p.m. The blaze burned oak brush and grasses.
The fire was 75 percent contained by 8 p.m. Some crews were assigned to the fire during the night. It was expected to be fully contained today, and crews will monitor wind shifts.
"They were primarily blowing to the northeast. For a while, we were concerned they would turn toward homes" to the west and south, Ziolkowski said.
Light rain drizzled during the night but did not provide any relief for firefighters. Crews mostly contained the blaze themselves by digging firebreaks into the earth and clearing brush with chainsaws.
About 80 personnel were on scene throughout the evening. A helicopter equipped with a large bucket dipped water from a tank filled by a hydrant and poured it over the blaze. Crews also carried hoses into the fire that were connected to hydrants, Ziolkowski said.
Elsewhere in the state, the Trail Canyon Fire grew to 500 acres Wednesday, up 100 acres from the day before. The fire is on the west side of Desolation Canyon, burning pinyon-juniper and Douglas fir trees at about 8,000 feet, Moab Interagency Fire Center assistant manager Cheryl Carpenter said.
Rocky outcroppings and other natural barriers were expected to contain the fire, which first was seen on July 10 after lightning struck the area, but the blaze grew beyond those barriers. "It's growing in all directions. There was a little wind up there" on Wednesday, Carpenter said.
The area is so steep and rugged that people cannot safely fight the fire on the ground. There were no helicopters or planes on scene Wednesday. "Management was meeting, deciding what to do with it," Carpenter said. There was no word on their decision.
The Price Fire, north of the airport in Price, was contained at 24 acres and was expected to be controlled today. The fire, which was started by lightning, never threatened any structures. Crews and fire engines were on the scene Wednesday, Carpenter said.
E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com