Three days after a 15-acre grass fire burned along I-80 at the mouth of Parleys Canyon, the city of Millcreek announced Thursday, Aug. 6, that sign-ups are open for its Fall 2026 Community Emergency Response Team training.

The program teaches residents basic disaster response skills so they can help neighbors before professional crews arrive. Sign-ups are open now. Registration is available at bit.ly/millcreek-cert26.

The announcement lands during what University of Utah professor Phil Dennison has called an unprecedented fire season. Utah has already burned a record 285,000 acres of woodland and forest in 2026, according to a Utah News Dispatch analysis published Wednesday, Aug. 5. The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands reported the season has consumed more than 455,000 total acres statewide, making 2026 the second-worst wildfire year in state history behind 2007.

Millcreek residents have felt that pressure firsthand. The Aug. 3 blaze near Parleys Canyon threatened structures and forced lane closures on eastbound I-80 near the I-215 connector. It was the second grass fire in the same area in less than a month, as we reported Wednesday.

Millcreek resident Julie Naeth told ABC4 on Aug. 3 that she worries the recurring fires near her home could reach the neighborhood. She described watching neighbors gather on the street as crews fought the blaze, calling it "a strange way to bring people together."

Unified Fire spokesperson Nate Cochran told KSL on Aug. 3 that crews faced water-supply challenges because there are no hydrants in the grass fire area, requiring additional water tenders.

What CERT training covers

CERT is a FEMA-backed national program active in all 50 states, with more than 600,000 graduates since 1993. Millcreek's version trains volunteers in fire safety, light search and rescue and disaster medical operations, according to FEMA's program page.

Kayli Guild of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands told KSL NewsRadio on Aug. 3 that conditions this year leave little margin for error: "More than likely, you're going to have a fire. And it could become catastrophic in a manner of minutes."

Graduates learn to size up situations, suppress small fires and provide basic medical aid in the critical minutes before engines arrive.

How to sign up

Specific training dates, times and location had not been posted to the city's sign-up page as of Thursday afternoon. Residents can check bit.ly/millcreek-cert26 for updated schedule details.