BEAVER, Utah — In the midst of cleaning up after this weekend's destructive floods, Beaver residents are now racing to prepare before the next round of storms expected this week. With more rain in the forecast, there's concern that runoff from the Cottonwood Fire burn scar could trigger even more flooding.
A makeshift sandbag operation now runs at the local fairgrounds where volunteers fill bags for residents hoping to protect their homes.
After the wildfire stripped away vegetation, heavy rain rushing off the hillsides turned mud, rocks, and debris into dangerous flash floods.
The devastation was seen in the Grove neighborhood where Cary Laspin, who's lived there for years, found that his house was above the worst of the damage.
"I was on top of my property when I saw the water break coming through the canyon. It looked like a tidal wave, and it sounded like a freight train," Laspin said.
That wall of water tore through the neighborhood, leaving homes, yards, and roadways buried under mud and debris.
Beaver Mayor Matt Robinson shares update on flooding in city in video below:
Meanwhile, down the road, Vaughn Stacher is racing the clock as he had until 4 p.m. Monday to clear debris away from his home before officials clear the area again ahead of the next storms.
"The house isn't damaged, and we don't want any more damage on it. I hear there's another one coming in… we do what we can… then get the heck out of here," Stacher said.
The weekend flood missed Stacher's house, but not everything on the property.
"There was a cabin right there. See that? That's where it is now. It took it out of here and sent it right on down there," he shared.
Volunteers focus on helping fellow Beaver residents in need following devastating floods:
Beaver Mayor Matt Robinson said there was no loss of life, but part of the city's water system was washed out, leaving some residents without safe drinking water as crews work to restore service.
"We escaped the fire… it's like a double whammy," Stacher said of the flood. "It's called life."
Officials are urging people to stay out of closed areas as additional storms loom, and they'll continue to monitor conditions around the burn scar as the next storm system moves through.
