Salt Lake City Public Lands Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Mitigation Project
As Salt Lake City adapts to increasingly warmer and dryer seasons, the City’s Trails & Natural Lands (TNL) Division has begun to assess and adjust its care and maintenance practices for its natural lands. While there is inherent value in supporting ecological health in our nature parks and large natural areas like the Jordan River and Foothills, we need to responsibly mitigate wildfire risk along our Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).
In partnership with the Salt Lake City Fire Department and Public Utilities, TNL is leading efforts to reduce wildfire risk across its natural lands by prioritizing high-risk areas, investing in short- and long-term fuels mitigation, and protecting habitat for local flora and fauna.
TNL received additional funding from City leadership in fiscal year 2027 to address deferred fuels reduction in its nature parks and other higher concern wildfire properties. We have contracted with local arborists to remove specific, dead and downed debris and invasive species in Allen Park, Blaine Preserve, Miller Park, and Memory Grove in October and November of 2026. These late fall months are critical times to remove dry and/or dead vegetation after the major wildfire season ends and before the potential for significant winter precipitation and snow occurs.
TNL is also exploring a variety of other fuels reduction and vegetation maintenance strategies including semi-skilled conservation corps and volunteer collaboration with its own team members. More projects are current being planned for the Foothills Natural Area urban interface and along the Jordan River Natural Area corridor in 2027.
Estimated timeline:
- Memory Grove: October 7 – 17
- Miller Park: October 5 – 9
- Blaine Preserve: October 12 – 16
- Allen Park: October 19 – November 13
- Full park closure Oct 26 – Nov 6 (open on weekends)
- Work hours are 8:00am – 5:00pm (closed in evenings during the closure)