Herriman homes burned in wildfire; mandatory evacuations ordered

Updated: 6/29/2012 10:10 pm | Published: 6/29/2012 3:34 pm

HERRIMAN, Utah (ABC 4 News) - A burning car sparked a field fire in Herriman on Friday, threatening homes in the area.

The Rosecrest Fire has forced the mandatory evacuation of several homes.

Three homes were completely destroyed as flames and smoke could be seen for miles.

"Two other homes were destroyed and several cars and sheds were also burned," says Captain Mike Jensen of the Unified Fire Department.

Captain Jensen says a total of 350 acres were burned.

Firefighters called in air support with heavy tankers and helicopters dropping water and flame retardant on the fast moving blaze. On the ground, firefighters did their best to control the flames from spreading to other structures.

Herriman City officials said in a tweet, "Mandatory evacuation for 13300 South - 14500 South from 7200 West to 8200 West. Anyone south of that should also evacuate."

A short time later, all residents living south and east of Rose Canyon Road were ordered to evacuate.
Captain Jensen says 948 homes were evacuated.

By Friday evening, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon declared a state of emergency due to the fire.

Utah Governor Gary Herbert also put the Utah National Guard on alert, as troops gathered at Salt Lake Airport #2 in South Jordan to await orders.

A Type III Management team was requested by local authorities to battle the Rosecrest Fire.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) later authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Rosecrest Fire

It was the fourth Fire Management Assistance Grant has approved in the past week.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs for managing, mitigating and controlling the fire.

The grants will not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

The evacuation area is seen in the below Google Map in red.

View Rose Crest Fire Evacuation Map in a larger map

Home destroyed ion Rose Crest Fire in Herriman (Todd Petersen, ABC 4 News)

Slideshow

Home destroyed ion Rose Crest Fire in Herriman (Todd Petersen, ABC 4 News)

Unified Fire Authority officials say the fire started in the Rose Canyon area near 15167 South Step Mountain Road (7635 West).

Four structures, including 3 homes and one barn/garage were consumed by the flames, despite fire crews' efforts to save them.

The incident was classified as a 10-alarm fire, according to the UFA.

Approximately 115 evacuees were gathered at the Red Cross reception center Herriman High School on 11917 South Mustang Trail Way (6000 West). Small animals were allowed at the shelter.

By 9:30 p.m., the reception center transitioned into an evacuation center, as some residents were expected to stay the night.

Herriman City officials announced that the evacuation order would stay in place overnight, due to shifting winds and the need to keep road clear so crews could access the area.

Residents with horses were asked to bring their animals to the Salt Lake County Equestrian Center at 2100 West 11400 South, barn 7.

Many watched helplessly as the fire spread, burning everything in its path.

The Rosecrest Fire is one of the latest in a string of Utah fires that have left a path of devastation from Washington County all the way to northern Duschesne County. As of Friday evening, 8 major wildfires were burning across the state.

Several hundred firefighters and volunteers have been working around the clock for more than 8 days all over Utah, battling hot, dry conditions and unrelenting winds.

With no precipitation in the immediate weather forecast, Utah's early-arriving fire season might seem endless to those affected by the flames.

A spokesman for the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released the following statement:

“As requested by Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert, the Church is pleased to come together in prayer with other Utahns during this difficult time. We are mindful of those in Utah and neighboring states who have been impacted by wildfires. We encourage individuals, families and congregations to pray for the safety of firefighters, protection of lives and homes and favorable weather conditions to help control the many wildfires currently burning.”

-Cody Craynor

Stay tuned to ABC 4 News and ABC4.com for more on this story.

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squints - 7/2/2012 7:57 AM

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chrswool, That was one of the dumbest comments I have ever read. You are an idiot. Go jump in a lake.

ashley - 6/30/2012 10:02 AM

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I'm terribly sorry that you feel that your taxes have gone to waste, there are many times our tax dollars are wasted in this country this is defiantly not one of them. These people have worked hard to build their homes in this area. These people are hard working americans who pay into the funds that are now being used to help save as many of our homes as possible, and help get those who lost back on their feet. That is what we have these programs for! I pray for those of you who feel this is a waste that their is never a fire near you, that may turn your entire world upside down in that rehearse 911 call telling you its time to leave everything you have behind, not knowing whether your house will be one that its saved or not.

TheSmart1 - 6/29/2012 9:39 PM

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I am so disheartened and disappointed in the negativity here! And Peg, you posted the exact same thing over on KSL..word for word. WE have FEMA and the Red Cross the Fire Depts, and all these other agencies and are funded for just these purposes. Last week I was evacuated due to the Dump fire out here in Saratoga, my heart goes out to all of these families not just this fire, but all the fires currently being worked on. This fire was started by a car that caught fire, we don't have all the details, and maybe we never will! DO I feel that people that are irresponsible and start fires due to negligence be held accountable? I do, BUT for you to sit here and scream about socialism, and how YOUR tax dollars are being wasted, take heed and be grateful it is not your neighborhood on fire. These people need your positive words and your encouragement...not your hate and disrespect! AS for the comments about the greedy rich owning the big houses..I am ONLY going to say one thing to you, as you are not worth more of my time than that. You are envious, and if you aren't...why do you care?? You negative nellies need to create a blog so that you can B!t@#. This is not the place for this, crap! It is insensitive, and disrespectful, and not the place for your Libatard spewing. LD

ckmclean - 6/29/2012 6:59 PM

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My Brother and Sister-in-law just moved to that area 3 months ago. They are two moles away from the fire on the Herriman border. To be happy about a persons house burning, even if they have money, if evil and inhumane at its core. My Brother-in law works very hard at the mines. 12 hour shifts and has a two week old baby. Rather than bashing people for where they live, how they spend their money or where their tax dollars go, maybe we should practice some humanity and care for each individual as a part of the human race. It is easy to build your walls and live in that comfortable bubble that we all create, but it breaks our communities apart. This is a fine example. We should be worried and praying for those in harms way...and if that is not your style, go out there and help. I was shocked to see this on the Utah stations comments posts, as I live in Colorado and have been effected by the fires here. I NEVER saw this kind of conversation on the local forums here. Only people asking what they could do to help and stating sincere concern for each other. I pray that this fire is controlled soon an that ALL who might be effected are safe from the fires and are able to re-group and get back to normal.

smrterdnu - 6/29/2012 6:05 PM

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Just a note to the welfare guy angry at the rich people.. You resent success or others, you will always be a loser. You are undoubtedly a feminine male, looking to feel like a man thru hate. I council the emotionally stunted and the challenged. You are probably divorced, or in an unhealthy relationship, and I am sure that adds to your impotent self view. Find something to be thankful for in your life, how someones home burning helps you is astonishing to me. Go vote for Obama, he will continue to grow wealthy while manipulating the fools like you with class warfare. Go get some exercise, find your masculinity, and be a man in life, not on anonymous web note.... Peace, Love, Dope..

chrswool - 6/29/2012 5:09 PM

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I agree with peg0457. straight up! the houses that burnt down are simply huge houses owned by the greedy rich. burn em down!! thats right, i said it! just like the rich folk who build their vacation homes on topsail island in north carolina and then they are wiped out by a hurricane every four to five years and then FEMA funds them to build their big fancy beach houses over and over and over again. I want my tax money back. fend for yourselves you greedy rich big house building nimrods. apparently you already have the money to fund your self-centered, "look at me" ways, until something happens that you can't control, then you scream "FEMA, help us". At least I am responsible enough to know that i will never live or build in a KNOWN area for problems, and even if I did, I would have the guts and self responsibility to take accountability for my own actions. And yes, I am a family man with 3 kids and a wife to boot!!!! That is WHY I CHOOSE to be MORE responsible about my decisions! So, "theotherguy" your ignorance is staggering, you must one of those ppl that do NOT want to accept accountability for your own decisions, even if they are questionable. admitting your own fault is half the battle, accepting it is another! BTW, i appreciate what civil servants do, I work for UTA and serve the people every day. AND my wife works for SLVHD and helps people everyday.DO YOU?

TheOtherGuy - 6/29/2012 4:48 PM

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The level of sheer ignorance in that comment is staggering. So, I'm going to have to assume that you'd just as soon see every municipal fire department done away with? After all, the majority of fires that they respond to are human caused. Or, would you rather they only be there if it's your property/family/etc that is threatened? Because, I'm pretty certain that if your house burned down and the fire department didn't make it there, you'd be a whoopin and a hollerin' about "What do I pay taxes for!?!?!" Secondly to that, why should a group like the NRA pay for the ignorant actions of a person - just because they share a hobby? Seriously? I hope you're 16 and just starting to pay taxes, otherwise, I weep for any children you may have. I mean, my hell, that's like saying that the MLB should pay for every car or house window that breaks from a baseball being thrown through it. (That's right kitten, membership doesn't enter into this argument... I'm a target shooter, hunter, etc. and I'm NOT a member of the NRA.)

peg0457 - 6/29/2012 4:14 PM

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This taxpayer refuses to pay for Utah's human-caused fires.... I want my tax money instead to be used for affordable health care for all. The NRA can pay for all target-shooting caused fires beyond what the irresponsible shooters can't. Ditto for the fireworks companies. They can be liable to pay beyond what those irresponsible enough to shoot off fireworks can't. You start the fire, you pay for it. "FEMA is socialism" until Utah needs money to pay for irresponsible fires. Take some responsibility!

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