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Neff’s Fire Questions and Answers Updated October 5, 2020 Start: September 22, 2020 Location: 1 mile east from Neff’s Canyon Trailhead, Mount Olympus Wilderness Cause: Lightning Size: 60 acres Containment: 65% Fuels: Timber and oak brush Closures: Neff’s Canyon Trail: The area closure includes all trails and trailheads. Please stay out of the closure area for public and firefighter safety. ---PAGE BREAK--- Important Contact Information • Andrew Clark, Millcreek Emergency Manager: [EMAIL REDACTED]; (801) 688-8608 • Millcreek City Hall: (801) 214-2700 • US Forest Service Public Information Line: (385) 204-3144 • Laura Briefer, Salt Lake City Director of Public Utilities: [EMAIL REDACTED]; (385) 252- 9379 Where can I stay updated on the most current information for the Neff’s Fire? The best information for updates on the Neff’s Fire can be found here: • Facebook: • U.S. Forest Service Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest • Utah Fire Info • Millcreek – Municipal Government • Twitter: • @UtahWildfire • @MillcreekUT • • Website: • Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest: (Current wildfires located directly under the video on the home page) • Utah Fire Info: www.utahfireinfo.gov • Millcreek – Municipal Government: FAQs NOTE: The chances of evacuation are remote but remain a possibility. This is a reminder to residents that fires are a hazard of the area and that you should always remain prepared. How will I be notified of an evacuation in my neighborhood? If an evacuation were to happen, reverse 911 would be used to issue an automatic message to all landlines in the area. Residents that do not have a landline and only use mobile devices will need to register their cell phone and address on the Valley Emergency Communications Center (VECC) website, which can be found HERE. Mobile device users who have registered with VECC will also receive a reverse 911 call. Registration with VECC is strongly encouraged. Please be sure to read and follow all instructions carefully. The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) which utilizes the Emergency Alert System (TV and Radio), WEA (mobile phones) to get evacuation orders out to designated areas. IPAWS does not require anyone to sign-up to receive alerts. Millcreek Emergency Management will work with our partner Agency (SLCO Emergency Management) to send on our behalf. ---PAGE BREAK--- Following the reverse 911 call/IPAWS Alert, Unified Police Department officers and Millcreek Public Works employees will begin door-to-door notifications, alerting residents that it is time to evacuate the designated area. See evacuation map HERE. How is it determined when homes must be evacuated? The Unified Command (a collaboration between Millcreek Emergency Management, Salt Lake County Emergency Management, Unified Fire Authority, Unified Police Department, and the Forest Service) will determine if an evacuation is required, based upon fire and weather conditions. Our priority is safety for residents and first responders as well as effective defense of property. Unified Command has determined three evacuation zones. Zone 1 will be the first to evacuate, zone 2 will be the second, and zone 3 would be the last to evacuate once the previous two zones have been emptied. See attached map HERE to determine the zone in which your residence is located. Evacuations will only be ordered if conditions change and a risk of the fire spreading to structures is threatened. Trigger points have been evaluated and decisions will be made according to plan if such triggers occur. How much time will I have to evacuate once an evacuation order has been placed? If an evacuation is issued, it means that the fire has moved beyond the designated trigger lines. Depending on wind speed and other weather variables, residents will have 5 – 8 hours to gather their belongings and leave their homes. This timetable could speed up should down slope wind speed increase. Evacuation will be MANDATORY, so prepare in advance. The evacuation instructions will alert you to the time by which you must evacuate. It is advisable to be ready to leave in a worst-case scenario where the evacuation time could be shortened. What types of items should we take with us during the evacuation? Please visit the Ready, Set, Go program or Be Ready Utah for excellent guidelines on property and evacuation preparation. The best thing residents can do to assist firefighters and first responders is to be prepared in advance for possible evacuations. Additionally, it would be important to assist any neighbors who you feel will need help. We are aware that there are many older residents in the area who may not be familiar with these protocols. Will there be guidance on how to safely evacuate our neighborhood? Yes, UPD will be overseeing the evacuation procedure and will control traffic to maintain an orderly and safe evacuation. In the event of an evacuation, vehicles will not be allowed to access the evacuation area. Please relay information to family members or friends in advance. What if I need help with evacuation? If you or a loved one need assistance with the evacuation, please contact UPD dispatch at [PHONE REDACTED] to notify Unified Police officers. There is also a state special needs registry where you can register for extra assistance should an evacuation take place. That website can be found at Once we have evacuated, where should we go? Pre-determined evacuation reception centers have been established with SLCo Emergency Management, Millcreek Emergency Management, and the Red Cross. The primary location will be: Millcreek Community Center: 2266 E Evergreen Ave, Salt Lake City, UT 84109 POC: Holly Yocum, SLCo Facilities Director, [EMAIL REDACTED], [PHONE REDACTED]. Other locations will be established, and notifications provided depending upon the scope of any required evacuation. ---PAGE BREAK--- How will I know when it is safe to return to my home following an evacuation? The Unified Command will determine when it is safe to return home. Follow Millcreek, UFA, and UPD social media for any updates regarding the evacuation. Reverse 911 could be utilized again to notify residents when it is safe to return home. Will the Mount Olympus community be the only evacuation order that could be given? No, if fire were to move north of Neff’s canyon trail, past the direct cut line, the upper end of Millcreek Canyon will be threatened and several recreation sites, campgrounds and private cabins and businesses will need to be evacuated. This process could take time due to the one way means of egress out of Millcreek Canyon. What does fire containment mean? Containment is the status of a wildfire suppression action signifying that a control line has been completed around the fire, and any associated spot fires, which can reasonably be expected to stop the fire's spread. Why aren’t we using airtankers to drop retardant on the fire? Airtankers and retardant do not put fires out without the boots on the ground to fully suppress the fire. The terrain of this fire is much too steep to get our firefighters into most of the perimeter to fully suppress the fire. Firefighter and public safety are always our number one priority. Why is the containment percentage so low on this fire? The terrain is so steep and rugged where the fire is burning that we can’t get firefighters safely onto the perimeter to construct direct fireline. We are focusing firefighter efforts on building indirect and contingency lines. There has been increased containment over the last several days and more is expected. Firefighters have been able to put partial containment lines around most of the fire and are waiting for the backing of the fire along the west side. What trigger/actions points would lead to evacuations? There are pre-planned geographic points identified as triggers to call for potential evacuations. Federal agencies will work with local authorities to notify residents if the fire reaches those trigger points. What is a burnout or backburn? What conditions would be conducive to a burnout operation? Fire officials are considering doing a burnout operation. Fire managers will wait until weather conditions are favorable prior to beginning a firing operation. Firefighters and fire mangers are professionals and very cautious when using fire to fight fire, however, a burnout operation is not without risk. The firefighters are working on putting a control line and water line in place. What does it mean when rollout and backing fire are discussed? A rollout occurs when rocks, pinecones, stumps or other debris roll towards bottom of the slope out of the perimeter of the fire. This debris can be dangerous, as it can ignite spot fires below where firefighters are working. These occurrences are more likely with fires on steep slopes like this one. A backing fire is a fire moving slowing from the top of a slope towards the bottom. Backing fire is typically a low intensity understory burn (fire that stays on the ground). ---PAGE BREAK--- What trailheads are closed? When do we expect them to open again? All trails, trailheads, and National Forest land between Mill Creek Canyon road on the north and Big Cottonwood Canyon road on the south to Quartzite -33115 then straight west are closed per the Sept. 23 closure order. Is there a no-fly order in place for lower Millcreek Canyon and Neff’s Canyon including drones? How long will the order be in place? There is a temporary flight restriction in place above the Neff’s Fire, which includes drones. The temporary closure will be in place until fire operations no longer require aviation resources. The Federal Aviation Administration provides notices informing pilots about closures and temporary closures. These notices are called ‘notices to airman.’ If weather stays the way it is, how long until the fire is contained? At this time, the fire managers can’t speculate as to when the fire will be contained. Fire managers expect the fire to burn until a season ending event with precipitation occurs. How big are each of the fire lines that are being cut into the mountain? Will there be a reforestation effort after the fire has been contained/extinguished? Teams are digging approximately three-foot control line and clearing the brush 10-20 feet away from the line. Following the fire, they will implement a fire suppression restoration plan. What is the impact going to be on potential flooding/debris flow? The fire situation is dynamic, so we don’t have specifics on the flooding risks at this time. However, the National Forest has an active suppression repair plan in place that will guide efforts to remediate after the fire. What would cause the fire to accelerate down the slope? Is there large potential for that? If we have a large wind event, it could cause the wildfire to move quickly and potentially travel down the slope. The weather could change rapidly. Firefighters are requesting daily spot weather forecasts specific for the Neff’s fire from the National Weather Service. Fire managers are providing daily operational updates and news through social media and www.utahfireinfo.gov. How can community members support firefighting efforts? Sparks from a wildfire can travel large distances and ignite dry leaves, dead grass or other dry fuel. You can help create defensible space by: clearing burnable materials off your deck/patio, removing leaves and debris away from your deck or house and away from structures, and clearing leaves out of your gutter or off of your roof. Here are two websites for reference defensible space and keeping your house safe: • Firewise • Ready, Set, Go ---PAGE BREAK--- How can I support the firefighters? We thank you so much for your willingness and interest in supporting the firefighters. They have everything they need, but greatly appreciate your support. We recommend individuals invest in their community by creating defensible space around their homes or consider donating to their local fire department or relief organization. Where should I go for more information? For all other questions, please contact the Public Information Officers on the Incident Management Team: (385) 204-3144