MAPLETON, Utah — Hundreds of volunteers gathered in Mapleton Saturday morning and filled thousands of sandbags in preparation for possible rain coming Sunday.
The "Ether Hollow Fire" left a burn scar in the hills above Springville and Mapleton, as well as in Hobble Creek Canyon. Because of the 849-acre wildfire, which was sparked by target shooters and caused homes to be evacuated in early September, the area is at risk for flooding.
"The potential for debris flow off the Ether Hollow burn scar is alarming," Mapleton City Fire Chief Nicholas Glasgow said Saturday.
The city of Mapleton coordinated the massive volunteer effort, which resulted in 300 people and more than 5,000 sandbags filled.
Anyone who may be impacted by the potential floods can pick sandbags up from behind Mapleton City Hall at 125 W. 400 North.
An interactive online map showing the likelihood of debris flow in different areas can be found on the U.S. Geological Survey's website (preview below).
There is also a Facebook community group with information on the potential flooding in the area, and Thursday the city held a "flood after fire" awareness meeting.
Residents are also urged to sign up for the Springville-Mapleton Citizen Alert system to be informed of emergency information, including potential evacuations.
