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Unified Fire Authority reports 529 calls in Q1; Cottonwood Heights crews prepare for wildfire season
Summary
Battalion Chief Riley Pilgrim told the council the Unified Fire Authority logged 529 calls (Jan–Mar), including 77 emergent responses (15%), three structure fires and various EMS calls; he highlighted a large April house fire outside the city and described staffing and wildfire preparedness measures.
Battalion Chief Riley Pilgrim reported to the Cottonwood Heights City Council on first-quarter activity (Jan. 1–Mar. 31): the Unified Fire Authority responded to 529 calls in the period, 77 of which were categorized as emergent (roughly 15 percent). Monthly call counts were 204 in January, 153 in February and 172 in March.
Pilgrim said fire types during the quarter included three structure fires, three cooking-related fires, one outside/dumpster fire and a vehicle fire; EMS calls — falls and people feeling ill — made up the largest share of responses. He described a prominent April incident just outside the city in an unincorporated area: a large house fire in a residence with a long driveway and steep access that required crews to operate for about 36 hours and coordinate wildland interface response.
On response times and readiness Pilgrim said the 90th-percentile response time is about seven minutes and noted efforts to improve turnout times; he offered to provide year-over-year comparisons to council upon request. He said the department watches weather and red-flag conditions closely, cross-staffs a wildland-specific engine in Cottonwood Heights, and ups staff on high-risk days to prepare for elevated wildfire threats in July and August.
What council asked Council members inquired about comparative response-time metrics and Pilgrim said he would pull the historical numbers to share; the chief emphasized the difference between local response expectations and dense urban NFPA benchmarks.
Sources: Battalion Chief Riley Pilgrim, Unified Fire Authority report to Cottonwood Heights City Council, June 16, 2026.
