PINE VALLEY, Utah (KUTV) — Active fire zones continue to burn through Forsyth Canyon in Southern Utah, and the community is rallying around fire crews as they work to contain the flames.
Hundreds of local, state, and federal firefighters are working on the ground and in the air to get the Forsyth Fire under control. The wildfire has burned more than 5,600 acres of land and destroyed 13 homes in the Pine Valley area.
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However, the raging fire has not tamped down the community’s efforts to help. Dayna Lundin told KUTV that when word of the fire spread, people began pouring donations of food and supplies into the area.
“The barricade is getting inundated with food, we need somewhere else to collect food,” Dayna Lundin said. “Within an hour, we just had so many donations. So many people show up to help.”
Lundin quickly helped organize a collection point at the Central Fire Department down the road from the barricade.
“I think it just shows that we all have roots here and we want it to stay here, we want to raise our families here, we don’t want it to go anywhere,” Lundin said of the community outpouring.
The volunteers started Saturday morning and by Sunday afternoon had already filled several rooms in the firehouse. Lundin said they have been sending the truckloads of supplies up the canyon as needed.
Many of those helping live in communities nearby and have watched the fire burn up close.
“Every night out our back door we can see the flames coming over but luckily they haven’t made it over and the wind blew them the other way,” said Anden Lyman, who lives in the Central Valley. “It’s really sad to know that there’s homes in those flames of people that you know.”
The volunteers have heard firsthand what their neighbors have had to face these past few days. Lyman said they know of people who are hosing their houses down to try to protect their property. Lundin shared that there’s a rancher in the community who has moved his cows twice to get them away from the fire.
The people at the Central Fire Station told 2News they have enough donations now, thanks to the community. They’re currently working to distribute what they have.
In a press conference with Gov. Cox, officials suggested that community members wanting to help now focus on those who have lost their homes until the fire is extinguished. Then, crews will likely need help with clean-up efforts.
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