Septic Smart Week is coming this September 20, 2021! This is the annual week where we remind residents to take care of their septic systems (and our water supply!). We’ll be posting more details as things get closer, but here’s an overview.
Day 1 / September 20, 2021 / Protect It and Inspect It!
Day 2 / September 21, 2021 / Think at the Sink!
Day 3 / September 22, 2021 / Don’t Overload the Commode!
Day 4 / September 23, 2021 / Pump Your Tank!
Day 5 / September 24, 2021 / Don’t Strain Your Drain!
STAGE 1 fire restrictions are in effect for Emigration Canyon Metro Township
STAGE 1 Fire Restrictions help reduce fire risk and prevent wildfires during periods of high to extreme danger.
PROHIBITIONS:
1. Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire. 36 CFR 261.52 (a) This includes charcoal barbecues and grills EXCEPT: Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire in constructed, permanent fire pits or fire grates within developed recreation sites and the use of portable stoves, lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum, pressurized liquid fuel or a fully enclosed (sheepherder type) stove with a ¼”
spark arrester type screen is permitted.
2. Smoking, except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material. 36 CFR 261(b).
3. Operating a chainsaw without a USDA or SAE approved spark arrester properly installed and in effective working order, a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher kept with the operator, and one round point shovel
with an overall length of at least 35 inches readily available for use. 36 CFR 261.52(h).
4. Welding or grinding metal in areas of dry vegetation. Welding or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame except in cleared areas of at least 10 feet in diameter and in possession of a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher. 36 CFR 261.52(i) 5. Using an explosive. 36 CFR 261.52 (b)
Respectfully,
Captain Michael Conn
Unified Fire Authority
Emigration Canyon Liaison
Unified Fire is providing free wildfire risk assessments to Emigration Canyon residents. This service provides residents with a hands-on walk around of their home and property with a firefighter. During this visit the firefighter will help you identify ways to improve the defensible space around your home and property and reduce the risk of losing your home to wildfire. We encourage all canyon residents to take advantage of this wonderful program – protecting your home and all of our homes!
The Salt Lake Valley Fire Chiefs joined together to release a video urging citizens to skip personal fireworks over the upcoming holiday celebrations, citing risks from extreme drought conditions.
The Chiefs are encouraging residents to celebrate by attending one of the many professional fireworks shows that being held locally.
“With the current extreme drought conditions, we have real concerns that our fire personnel will be inundated with fireworks-related incidences,” said Terry Addison, Chair of the Salt Lake Valley Fire Alliance and South Salt Lake Fire Chief. “Even in areas where fireworks are allowed, there are extreme risks of fires.
Emergency situations created by the use of personal fireworks are avoidable if residents choose to celebrate the holidays in other ways. The Salt Valley Chiefs are asking citizens to skip personal fireworks this year and allow local fire departments to focus on other emergency situations.
The video also encourages citizens to use the non-emergency dispatch numbers to report illegal fireworks. Please call 801-799-3000 for Sandy and Salt Lake City and 801-840-4000 for the rest of the valley. 911 should only be called to report fires or injuries.
FROM UNIFIED FIRE —
The fireworks restricted areas map for all of Salt Lake County will be officially published on our website June 1st . A few restricted areas were added to Cottonwood Heights, Herriman and White City. All other areas remain the same.
Sales of legal fireworks allowed: Beginning on June 24th and ending on July 25th .
Discharge Dates: 2 days before, day of, and 1 day after July 4th and 24th .
Hours of discharge: 11am – 11pm
– July 4th and 24th – discharge allowed until midnight.
Penalties:
Persons guilty of an infraction if: (up to $1,000 fine)
Discharge of fireworks outside of legal dates.
Discharge of fireworks in an area where fireworks are prohibited.
Disposal of fireworks: Utah Administrative Rule R710-15-5, prohibits disposal of seized or turned in fireworks by local entities and MUST BE
TURNED OVER TO OUR SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION.
Hopefully you’ve already completed and returned the wildfire risk awareness survey questionnaire that was recently mailed to all canyon homes. This study by researchers at the U.S. Forest Service will assess our community’s knowledge of wildfire, our attitudes toward fire- related risk, and our readiness to respond to a fire emergency. The resulting data will help the township benchmark its progress in preparing for a serious wildfire event. It will also help county, state, and federal agencies develop more effective programs to inform, motivate and prepare at-risk communities like ours.
If you misplaced the first mailing, don’t worry. A second questionnaire will be mailed in the next few weeks. Please be sure to fill it out and return it in the enclosed, stamped envelope. The insights we hope to gain will be invaluable in preparing Emigration Canyon for future fires. Your participation is essential!
This year we’ll be splitting our canyon-wide chipping service into two events. Unified Fire Authority crews will serve the main canyon, Pinecrest, Killyons, and most side road neighborhoods (including Emigration Place) during the last week of June (6/28 – 7/2). They’ll visit Emigration Oaks, Acorn Hills and Quad Road the following week (7/5 – 7/9). This is your opportunity to trim and thin the defensive space around your home without having to make a trip to the landfill. Just stack your brush neatly at the roadside for processing into chips that will be left in place.
If you’d like to participate—and we very much hope you will—here’s what you need to do:
Have your brush piled by the roadside (main road or any secondary canyon road) by the first morning of your service period.
Stack your brush in a single direction so the pile is easy to unload.
No material larger than 12 inches in diameter.
Be careful to not obstruct road shoulders or bike lanes.
Please don’t bring out additional material after the crew has passed. It will not be processed.
To be sure we don’t miss your pile, please let us know you plan to participate by emailing your street address to firewise84108@gmail.com.
When you’re finished, please consider sharing with us your time and any expenses you incurred (arborist services, for instance) at the same email address. We can count your time and spending toward the township’s annual Firewise requirement for wildfire risk reduction. Maintaining this certification helps lower home fire insurance premiums and qualifies the township for state support of wildland firefighting costs.
Finally, keep in mind that our schedule is subject to change if our chipping crew is called off on firefighting duty. In that event, updates will be posted on the community council website (emigrationcanyon.org).
Thank-you all for your personal investment in reducing our shared wildfire risk!
Last week we had the United Fire Authority (UFA) crew in the canyon on Friday (June 6). They estimated that it will take about a week to complete the remaining work. We were expecting a crew from the state Division of Natural Resources this week, but it appears they will be delayed until the week of June 22. Shortly after that, on July 1, UFA enters a new budget year and grant funds become available which should allow us to finish up fairly quickly.
So, some of us will probably have to live with our brush piles for a couple more weeks, but all will be processed in the relatively near future.
A reminder: If you live in an area the crews have already served, please don’t bring out any more material unless you plan to remove it yourself. We can only (and only just barely) afford to make one trip around the canyon.
Emigration Canyon Rd will be repaved this summer, starting on Monday, June 15th.
Notice to Cyclists/Skaters:
Due to the one-way traffic necessitated by this project, Emigration Canyon will be CLOSED to cyclists and skaters during construction. With one lane inaccessible, the road is not wide enough to safely accommodate both motor vehicles and bicycles/skaters. Safety is the number one priority of our team, and the decision was made to close the canyon to cyclists and skaters in order to prevent accidents.
For updates on this project, please go to the Metro Township Council’s site: https://www.ecmetro.org/paving-project-2020 and sign up for email updates with the signup form at the bottom of the page.
Pinecrest Canyon has been evacuated due to a wildfire. Air support is on site. Follow @UtahWildfire on Twitter and sign up for Code Red emergency alerts for official updates. https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BF622E7C93F2
Edit: evacuation is not mandatory for all residents.
A reminder, fireworks are NEVER allowed in Emigration Canyon. If you see anyone setting off fireworks, please call 911 or Unified Police Department dispatch at 801.743.7000. Officers will respond to make the individuals aware of the law. Have a safe & happy 4th! ??
