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Fire crews hoped to learn Monday what caused a 20-acre brush fire Sunday afternoon in the foothills above the University of Utah.
"We've ruled out lightning as a cause," said Salt Lake City fire Capt. Mark Bednarik. "The possibility of a human cause is definitely there."
Fire investigators planned to fly by helicopter early Monday to the knoll above Red Butte Garden, where they believe the fire began about 2:30 p.m. The fire spread downhill toward several major campus facilities and grew to be what Bednarik described as "absolutely a close call."
The flames came within 150 yards of the newly constructed Utah Museum of Natural History and threatened old stands of oak around Red Butte Garden that "would just explode" if ignited, said Salt Lake City Councilman J.T. Martin.
But the museum was designed with large, high-pressure water pipes around the building for crews to tap into in case of a brush fire.
"We always knew fire was an issue here," said museum director Sarah George.
Also threatened were the headquarters of Huntsman International LLC and The Point restaurant and reception center, Bednarik said. Crews poured water on surrounding vegetation to protect the structures.
Winds early in the evening pushed the blaze downhill but the fire then shifted up toward Mt. Wire, allowing crews to fully contain the boundary of the fire near the university.
Helicopters and tankers dumped loads of water and retardant until dark; hand crews planned to work through the night, Bednarik said. As the flames moved uphill, they were threatening a radio tower on the mountain and watershed in Red Butte and Georges canyons.
The fire was 40 percent contained as of 8 p.m.
Temperatures on Sunday soared to 101 degrees — the highest of the year — and dried vegetation in the foothills, creating tinderbox-like conditions, Bednarik said. Crews trudged up the steep terrain without shade and faced hazards of heat exhaustion, errant embers and rattlesnakes, which are prevalent in the area.
Although the fire was burning in a popular hiking area, no people were trapped or threatened. Hikers are warned to avoid trails in the area as crews work the fire throughout Monday, Bednarik said. Crews had no estimates as to when the fire would be fully contained.
Bednarik said witnesses had scant information about the fire's early stages and no one had reported illegal fires or fireworks near the scene. Fire officials were asking the public to call 801-585-COPS with any information on how the fire started.