Kaysville Christmas Star Survives Francis Fire

KAYSVILLE, Utah – A Christmas miracle in September?

That’s the question being asked as a Kaysville landmark that has been around for nearly 60 years amazingly remained untouched after the Francis Fire ripped through the hillside above Fruit Heights Monday.

In the path of destruction along the blackened mountainside is a small clearing. Inside that clearing is the famous Kaysville Star, which lights up the night air during the Christmas season. One man who breathed a big sigh of relief was Jeff Dunford, who has been volunteering to take care of the star for 40 years.

“Traditions are important it makes you who you are as a community it’s been very unique for Kaysville,” Dunford said. “It’s just a great reminder, a great reminder of what we should be remembering during the holiday season.”

Mayor Kati Witt said the landmark carries special meaning for residents.

“It is something special and unique to our town and to our region,” she said. “I love it. It would be a sad day if something should happen to it.”

Dunford was on the mountain earlier this summer, helping a slew of volunteers repair and update the star. He said from the center of the star it’s 30 feet out to each point and it has a total of 72 lights. During the Christmas season, someone travels up the mountain and fills a generator with gas every night to keep it lit up.

From all indications, everything is still intact and should work fine. But Dunford plans to head up the mountain on Wednesday, just to make sure.

If everything is working, Witt said she plans to turn it on Wednesday night as a token of gratitude to firefighters for helping to save lives and homes.

“The star is a symbol of gratitude to God and I can’t think of a better reason to light the star then this,” said Mayor Witt.