I sure hope the residents and recreationists who use Salt Lake City's City Creek Canyon knew what they were doing when their protests caused the cancellation of a program to create a 100-foot firebreak.
Nobody wants to see one of the Salt Lake Valleys prettiest and most pristine hiking, biking, fishing and picnic areas ruined. But considering the fact that a blaze last summer near the canyon threatened homes, perhaps the firebreak was a good idea.
If, God forbid, a fire would to roar down City Creek Canyon in the next few years and threaten homes in the area, we wonder if residents whose homes could be in the path of the flames might wonder if their opposition to the firebreak was such a good idea.
And, while fire is a natural part of the ecosystem, such a fire would also blacken much of the scenery recreators who were against the firebreak enjoy. And what about protecting an important part of Salt Lake City's water supply from potential damage of slides should fire destroy vegetation on the sides of the narrow canyons?
I guess I have enough faith in those who manage the canyon to think that a viable firebreak could have been constructed that would have preserved the beauty of the place while still protecting homes, property, water supplies and perhaps even lives.
You have to hope that a fire won't roar through the canyon but, if it does and damages homes in the area, we would do well to remember that many in the area opposed the firebreak.
– Tom Wharton