SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah, April 14, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake County Sheriff’s deputies and other first responders were dispatched to Big Cottonwood Canyon Tuesday afternoon after witnesses reported seeing someone setting fires in an area of rugged terrain.
Witnesses called dispatch at about 2:30 p.m. A man was taken into custody at about 6 p.m.
“A National Guard helicopter already operating in the area located the suspect in the Mount Olympus Wilderness Area and provided critical aerial information to responding ground units,” a SLCSO news release says.
“The Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau responded and maintained aerial observation of the individual until drones were deployed. A unified command was established between the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Unified Fire Authority, and the U.S. Forest Service to coordinate the response and ensure public safety.”
Due to the rugged terrain, a DPS helicopter hoisted deputies and officers to the area. The reported arsonist was taken into custody and was transported off the mountain. He was interviewed by Sheriff’s detectives and booked into the Salt Lake County jail.
All reported fires smouldered out on their own, the news release says.
Sheriff Rosie Rivera expressed her gratitude to all the law enforcement agencies that responded, and to the community members that reported what they saw, allowing for a quick response and limiting risk to the canyon and surrounding areas.
