Herriman fire burns 4 homes; thousands evacuated

Herriman • At least 4 homes were destroyed overnight in the 3,500-acre fire in Herriman, city Mayor Josh Mills confirmed at a 5 a.m. news conference Monday. Mills said that 1,500 families were still misplaced.

Mills toured the evacuated areas overnight, accompanied by other state officials, including Gov. Gary Herbert. Herbert returned about 6:45 a.m. to survey the fire from the air as day broke.

Fire officials were hoping to get a handle on how their efforts have fared in the daylight. As of Monday morning, officials haven't determined the containment of the fire.

About 150 firemen from the Unified Fire Authority and other county fire departments were taking part in the effort. That was in addition to 120 Utah National Guard members and about 100 police officers from various agencies, Herriman officials said.

There were no reports of injuries among Herriman residents. 2 officers suffered smoke inhalation. A third suffered minor injuries in an auto crash and a fourth person was bit by one of the dozens of horses that were evacuated, a massive operation in itself.

The American Red Cross said eighty-three displaced residents spent the night at Herriman High School, which was used as a temporary shelter.