This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Draper • Rylee Coggins thought her house was going to burn down.
"We got all of our pictures, all of our birth certificates and loaded up my mom's car," she said.
Coggins was one of many residents whose homes were threatened Saturday night by a field fire that destroyed one outbuilding and prompted voluntary evacuations near Draper's Corner Canyon area. Water trucks, aircraft, residents with garden hoses and those who turned on sprinklers all helped save homes.
By dusk, the flames had been extinguished. A voluntary evacuation remained overnight in the event winds fanned the coals that could still be seen smoldering on the mountainside in the dark. As of late Saturday, firefighters still did not know what ignited the fire.
The blaze was reported about 5:20 p.m. near 13200 South and Springdale Way (about 1870 East). Tall flames burned on the benches, sometimes coming within a few feet of homes.
Legrand Lewis said he and his family saw the fire burning on a road above their home. "We turned the sprinklers on and just made sure everything was wet," he said.
Unified Fire Authority water trucks reported to the scene. Residents also could be seen pouring water onto flames burning in the brown grasses that dominate the mountainside. By 7:15 p.m., helicopters were filling their buckets in a nearby reservoir and dropping water onto the flames. Eventually, three helicopters were dousing the flames. Two airplanes dropped flame retardant.
"Every resource we called out tonight was used to fight this fire," said Unified Fire Authority Capt. Cliff Burningham.
Burningham said at least one outbuilding was destroyed, but all homes were saved from the blaze.
By 8 p.m., the fire had blackened a quarter-mile swath of the east bench but flames were no longer readily visible.
Fire crews were staying on the scene to prevent hot spots from flaring up and reigniting the blaze. About 9:20 p.m. a light drizzle began in the area.
Draper city spokeswoman Maridene Hancock said the voluntary evacuation advisory would remain in place through the night. "The concern is the winds can shift, so we just want homeowners to be vigilant," she said.
The public can call for information on the blaze and road closures at 801-619-6200.
In 2008, a fire in Corner Canyon burned 808 acres and forced homes to evacuate.
Twitter: @natecarlisle —
More online
O More photos of the fire can be seen online. › sltrib.com