Sandy crews mow, weed to reduce potential fire hazards around the city

SANDY — Crews were busy Wednesday afternoon leveling a field on the east bench as they continued to address potential fire hazards within the city’s limits.

Arborist Britt Bingham said workers with the Sandy City Parks Department began mowing and weeding in early June at 15 different sites.

According to Bingham, crews were completely leveling targeted fields that were 2 acres or smaller, and they were creating 15-foot-wide fire breaks at the other properties, which were in the tens of acres.

“Any type of dry grass or any other weeds that we’ve got through here, we’ll take care of them,” Bingham told KSL TV.

Bingham acknowledged the work coincided with July’s dryer and hotter conditions as well as fireworks season.

“People aren’t the most careful with fireworks around here,” he said.

The work has been taxing to crews.

“It’s pretty rough, you know—using a weed wacker and having grass fly up and hit your face in 95-degree heat,” trails crew leader Thomas Stockwell smiled.

Firefighters, said, however, it was a very necessary job.

“This effort helps cut back, it gives us a defensible space in our city and our public areas, vacant lots, places with lots of fast-growing grass and weeds to give us a chance at stopping any fires if they start,” said Sandy City Fire Battalion Chief Mike Bullock. “We’re being very cautious, giving ourselves that prep work so that we don’t have any major disasters as we go into the rest of summer.”

Bingham said he expected crews to be done at the 15 sites by the end of the week, which would give workers time to circle back and check places they addressed earlier in the month.

He also hoped the effort would make a difference.

“Forest fires and field fires will start up and they just go,” Bingham said. “We don’t want to harm their property and their homes and risk somebody, you know, getting hurt with this.”