Evacuation Orders Lifted In Mapleton After Heavy Rain Hits Burn Scar
Jul 23, 2021, 5:45 AM | Updated: 5:53 am
(Mapleton City Fire Department)
(Mapleton City Fire Department)
MAPLETON, Utah — All evacuation orders have been lifted after heavy rain fell on the Ether Hollow burn scar above Mapleton, causing some debris flow and urban flooding.
Officials with the Mapleton City Fire Department said they receive an alert from the National Weather Service advising them significant rain could fall on the burn scar Thursday night.
Residents in 20 high-risk homes in the area of 2000 East and 1600 North were evacuated, along with the Whiting Campground.
Firefighters said 3/4″ of rain fell on the burn scar in 45 minutes, pushing 6″ to 8″ of mud, branches and basketball-sized rocks toward the homes.
“Thankfully rows of sandbags prepositioned by volunteers for the past few months deflected most of the debris flow onto the road and away from homes,” firefighters said. “We are happy to report there were no injuries and no damage to homes observed during our first damage assessment.”
All evacuations were lifted at 11:30 p.m. Thursday.
The Ether Hollow Fire was started by target shooting in Sept. 2020. More than 200 homes were evacuated and 500 homes were threatened in Hobble Creek, Springville and Mapleton after the wildfire was sparked and grew to 1,000 acres.
