Clay Pit Fire: Aerial efforts key in containing wildfire

SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah (KUTV) — People in Saratoga Springs are breathing a sigh of relief after a fire broke out on the mountain behind their homes near the Israel Canyon trailhead.

The Clay Pit Fire, which has burned an estimated 140 acres, was 50% contained as of late Thursday afternoon.

Crews remain on scene as the heat and wind could cause the fire to flare up again, despite the flames having gone down.

PREVIOUS:New Clay Pit Fire in Saratoga Springs estimated about 200 acres

Isaac Peterson, a resident living close by, shared his concerns.

"It's pretty scary. You never know what's going to happen, especially with the mountain that close," he said.

Wednesday night, families in the Saratoga Springs community watched from their yards as the Clay Pit Fire grew.

"Around 7:00 PM, the flames got bigger, and that's when it took over most of the mountain," Peterson said.

For Peterson, this is a familiar sight—it's the third time he’s seen the hillside in flames.

"Ten years ago, it happened, and we evacuated over by the golf course," he said. "I just remember being a kid, grabbing some random stuff out of the house, and heading out."

Although evacuations weren’t necessary Wednesday, flames were relatively close to homes.

"It's always concerning when you see smoke and fire from your backyard," said Ashley Snipes, with the Bureau of Land Management’s West Desert District, the agency overseeing the fire.

Snipes emphasized that aerial support played a crucial role in containing the fire.

"Air operations went out first to assess what was going on and to lay retardant," she said. "They were able to get in, lay retardant, figure out what direction the fire was going to go, and send our crews in."

Meanwhile, Utah sent aid to fight fires in California in early August.

With several large burns and 10 new starts in the last 24 hours, 2News asked if local resources might be needed here.

"We actually pulled all of our Utah resources back in, and we're keeping them in-state right now," Snipes said.

While the official cause of the Clay Pit Fire hasn’t been released, Snipes noted that more than half of this season's wildfires have been human-caused.

She urged residents to stay fire-aware, especially in high-risk areas like this.

___