PIUTE COUNTY, Utah — From fire concerns to flooding, volunteers and firefighters from all across the country have been in Marysvale, Piute County these past several weeks working on the 18,000-acre Silver King Fire.
Now that the wildfire is 88 percent contained, crews are working to clean up and mitigate any further natural disasters.
"I definitely would call it 'water with the color and consistency of coffee,'" Marysvale Fire Chief Jon Christensen said. "So anytime you have water come off the black, the burn scar, you’re going to have a little bit that came down."
Christensen has been keeping a close eye on Bullion Creek after heavy rains came through the region the past few days, but he says it appears their flood mitigation efforts are working.
"We’re a very small rural town with not much of a tax base and not much money. Bottom line is we want to make sure the town is safe and folks are safe and their property and that they are taken care of, and so it’s going to be a challenge," he said.
Hundreds of firefighters from all over the country have been in the small central Utah town responding to the fire that officials say started by lightning on July 5. It has burned nearly 20,000 acres.
"It’s such a helpless feeling when you have a natural disaster bearing down on you," said Marysvale public information officer Keri Bushman.
She runs the town's Facebook page and website, posting critical updates since the fire.
"Having all of the extra people in town has not been inconvenient or unusual for us because we’re a tourism community and we’re used to having visitors and guests. The biggest impact it’s had is the way the community has come together to support these guests," Bushman said.
Community members have provided dinners and more essential items for first responders and those working to save their community.
"It’s been so, like, heartwarming to see, and so good for our community to unite behind a common cause," Bushman said.
The efforts by so many have helped save homes, and even a number of historic sites along the Paiute ATV trails, like the cabin at Hennessy Point.
A Facebook post with accompanying pictures was shared by Piute County Commissioner Sam Steed. He expressed gratitude that despite so much destruction left behind by the flames, amid the charred forest, there was this sign of hope and strength still standing.
"They did an exemplary job protecting historic structures," Christensen said. "There’s a lot of history here and we lost a couple of structures, old mining structures, but everything else seemed to have survived. This goes back to Butch Cassidy and before! There’s a lot of history here."
The Army Corps of Engineers and a federal Burned Area Emergency Response team now work with local and state partners to help repair the burn scar and repair the local water supply and surrounding infrastructure.
"They've been hardening facilities, up taking snags out, they’re doing a lot of things up on the mountain… but this is a multi-year project," Christensen said.
Local leaders say they expect hundreds to come for the annual Jamboree they host along the beloved trail system in the area. It is slated to go on as planned from Wednesday to Saturday.
