BOUNTIFUL, Utah — Bountiful City is warning homeowners that the burn scar left behind by last week's Gun Range Fire could now turn into a flash flood area.
The city is helping residents brace themselves against any potential problems by setting up sandbag stations and providing information on how residents can protect their homes from flooding.
Steve Gulbrandsen said he's worried about how flooding might affect his home. The Gun Range Fire burned into the outer edges of his backyard, putting him downhill from any possible future flash floods.
"These are our trees that burned down right here," Steve said, pointing to trees right inside his chain-link fence. "We're just real lucky that it didn't get our house."
A week ago, they were running from flames in the middle of the night.
"The police woke us up," Steve said of the night the fire broke out. "And now, they're out here urging us to get sandbags."
It's a complete 180-degree turn from the fire — a new danger for Steve's neighborhood.
Lt. Dave Edwards with Bountiful City Police said that "all the homes that are bordering the burn scar, where there's anticipated potential flooding in the event of heavy rain."
Police and the city want to help ready residents. At both Twin Hollow Park and on North Skyline Drive right near the Bountiful Lions Gun Range, stations are stocked with sand, bags and shovels.
"That makes it easy for these homeowners to get to these supplies, get what they need, and take whatever action they can to protect their homes," Edwards said.
It's hard to tell when or if a storm could send water toward Steve's home, and he isn't sure what path the water could take.
"The mountain's pretty steep behind us up here," he said, pointing to a sharp hill behind one side of his backyard. "I'm real concerned about this, and it's fairly close to my home here. So I'm concerned about water coming right down in here."
He bought flood insurance just in case. Steve hasn't picked up any sandbags yet, but that's next on the list.
"I think we need to also coordinate this with our neighbors," he said. "So that we are all diverting it together, not diverting water into each other's houses."
Edwards said that the sandbag stations will stay put for as long as needed, as homeowners take a few weeks to assess their homes.
