BLUFF, Utah — While some ancient cultures may have thought an eclipse signaled the End of Days, it feels like certain modern day Utah officials are attempting to scare off this weekend's eclipse visitors rather than welcoming them with open arms and special glasses.
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It's not that these people are anti-eclipse, they just know there's only so much a small town or county can take during the Ring of Fire event.
Utah is one of a handful of U.S. states where Saturday's annular solar eclipse will be fully visible, and there's no doubt the Beehive State offers some of the most prime viewing locations in the country.
However, not everyone seems to be as enthusiastic about the eclipse, especially when it comes to the possible headaches the influx of people will create.
In a social media post this week, officials in remote San Juan County sounded as if the area should prepare for a natural disaster, telling residents to stock their cupboards and refrigerators, as well as filling their vehicles with gas. The county says because of the "projected increase in population to our communities, supplies may be limited."
A small town in San Juan County took things a step further, practically telling people to stay away.
Bluff Mayor Ann Leppanen told the Salt Lake Tribune that her message to eclipse visitors is "don't try to come here."
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With a population around 250 people, Bluff's limited resources would most likely collapse should thousands descend upon the small town.
“It’s weird to be a tourist town saying, ‘Don’t be a tourist for these three days,’” Leppanen told the Tribune. “But we don’t have the infrastructure to support even 5,000 people.”
Even though the eclipse will last just a few hours Saturday morning, the worry is that people who made the trek to remote areas like Bluff will stay through the weekend to make a mini-vacation out of the journey.
Listed inside a tip sheet for residents, Bluff offered helpful hints on what to expect this weekend, with a few items sounding quite ominous if not just plain smart:
- The best advice may be to stay at home on Friday and Saturday.
- At a minimum, have food, necessities, a full tank of gas, and cash on hand by October 11th
- Make important calls before Eclipse weekend.
The Utah Department of Transportation also warned visitors and residents to be prepared for heavy traffic, with delays expected on I-15, I-70, US-191 and US-89.
