This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Dozens of firefighters battled a blaze Saturday in Mill Creek Canyon and authorities asked residents of the Mount Aire community to voluntarily evacuate as a precaution.
The fire was human-caused, officials said, and the Unified Police Department said Saturday afternoon it has arrested a suspect on suspicion of second-degree arson, 35-year-old James O. Gill.
It began at about 11 p.m. Friday and had burned about five acres Saturday afternoon. Unified Fire Authority spokesman Rob Morley said about 60 firefighters were working to contain the blaze, which was near the Church Fork campground area.
The fire authority said that as of 7 p.m. Saturday, the fire was 50 percent contained.
Officials responding to the fire discovered and detained Gill, who allegedly made "multiple statements" that he started it with his lighter, according to a probable cause statement released by the Salt Lake County jail.
The mouth of Mill Creek Canyon was closed, as were the Pipeline, Elbow Fork, Big Water trails and the trail leading from Lambs Canyon into Mill Creek Canyon. Millcreek Canyon Road was restricted to emergency vehicles only. Fire officials will re-evaluate whether to reopen it Sunday morning.
The fire was thought to be burning about a mile from the Mount Aire subdivision and authorities said no structures were currently threatened.
The U.S. Forest Service had reportedly requested air support in fighting the fire and an official said Saturday afternoon that crews were making progress building a fireline.
However, a drone flying in the area of the fire early in the afternoon had compromised air operations, the agency said, and all aircraft assigned to the fire were grounded for safety.
The Utah Red Cross opened an operations center at 10 a.m. at the Millcreek Community Center, 2266 Evergreen Ave., to support the evacuation of the 42 homes at Mount Aire. Officials lifted the temporary evacuation order at 7 p.m.
Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC