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Neighboring communities step up to help Monroe amid fast-growing wildfire

Neighboring communities step up to help Monroe amid fast-growing wildfire
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MONROE, Utah — The Monroe Canyon Fire in Sevier County has nearly tripled in size on Monday. It has burned more than 3,900 acres and has no containment.

The fire is southeast of the town of Monroe, and the cause is still under investigation.

Evacuations have been in effect since Sunday. Crews from all over the western part of the country are battling the blaze from the air and ground.

“It’s exhausting to be out there on the lines,” said Kylee Stott, a member of Central Utah Type 3 Incident Management. “Tiring, away from your family, all those kinds of things, battling those elements and nature."

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Some firefighters are from Marysvale, a neighboring town.

But there’s a different kind of army standing by to help as well.

"It brings back those memories that we had been through last year,” said Celeste Gomez as she watched the flames and plumes of smoke coming from the Monroe Canyon fire. She lives in Richfield and works at the Deer Trail Mine. "It’s hard, but I know that together, we will stand up for this as well.”

The views remind her of last year’s massive Silver King fire that burned near Marysvale.

She, her colleagues and other businesses stepped up to help last time, and they're figuring out what they can do this time.

"Neighbors helping neighbors,” said Gomez.

During the Silver King Fire, people showed up with supplies for firefighters and little gestures like posters around town.

Piute Country Crafts is a collection center for various donations that people can drop off for crews on the Monroe Canyon fire. They are mainly trying to get water and snacks to have on hand if the need arises.

Stott said the fire is growing rapidly, and it can be hard to watch.

"It’s hard, especially when it hits close to home like this, to see the mountains that you grew up in, that you recreate in, that your family vacations in, all those things," she said.

But she said the best thing people can do to help is to stay away from the fire zone so they don't impede the firefighting efforts.