BEAVER, Utah — After one of the largest wildfires in the state left its mark and a devastating flood swept through part of Beaver, this small but tight-knit community is flooding with people. Volunteers across the state and beyond stepped up to help neighbors clean up the aftermath of a messy storm.
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Not all heroes wear capes, but for Beaver residents, their heroes lined up bright and early Saturday morning, shovels in hand, to help clean up neighborhoods impacted by the flood.
"I’m completely overwhelmed by all the people who’ve come to help,” said Kim Oakden.
Oakden lives in the North Creek area and was evacuated five times between the fire and floods.
"You just don’t know, you don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said. “Who is to know that that big river would come down and flood all of the people in the grove?”
Alex Ellwood and his family drove from American Fork to Beaver to get a firsthand look at what people who live in the Grove area are dealing with, and to help them with whatever they can.
"We got here and we were like, 'Oh my heavens, these people are struggling,'” he said.
They were supposed to be in Beaver for a mountain biking competition in a few weeks but made an early trip to help, along with other members of their bike team.
The Ellwoods helped clean mud and clear debris outside Lisa Emerson’s home.
"I don’t know any of these people, to be honest with you. It's wonderful having people willing to help,” she said.
Emerson said the part of their home they live in is safe, but their garage and a couple of rooms are filled with mud. Many of their neighbors had it worse — some homes were even uninhabitable.
From Salt Lake and Utah counties to the central part of the state, and even St. George, people from all over the state put on their gloves and got to work, showcasing the spirit of service in Utah at its finest.
"They all just have big hearts, willing to help those in need,” Emerson added.
