EUREKA, Utah — After evacuating not once but twice within a single week, the people in Eureka are ready in case they're called to leave a third time.
“My car is still loaded so we can get out pretty quickly if we need to,” said resident Bariann Haynes.
On Sunday, after crews were able to achieve success in the fight against the Iron and Cherry wildfires, officials lifted evacuation orders for Eureka, along with the towns of Mammoth and Silver City.
But the anxiety over the double evacuation still lingers.
“When we evacuated a second time, I was concerned," Haynes said. "How can these firefighters pull off a miracle a second time, but they did, they did what they had to do.”
The wildfires burned over 70 thousand acres combined this past week, and people like Haynes were back home Monday, trying to settle in and hold on to some sense of normal.
"We got home Sunday afternoon, and we’re still a little hesitant, but the skies are beautiful, so I hiked up to the green tank this morning and went to the gym, and I’m going to go prep for summer school," said Haynes.
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Haynes, an elementary school teacher in Eureka, has lived in the area for over 12 years.
“One of my concerns was losing our schools," she said. "They’re the heart of our town. We operate around our schools and around our children.”
When asked, Eureka Mayor Robert Jenkins shared what he will remember most.
“Things that I’ll continue to see for a while is the fire coming down this hill over here. I didn’t expect it. It was so surreal," Jenkins said.
The mayor helped out, rounding up animals for people who had to leave their homes and worked with city staff to make sure water systems were up and running.
“We’re a resilient community; we’ll get through this," he added. "Fortunately, we don’t have anything really that needs to be rebuilt in terms of homes, and we’ll get life back to where it was. In time, our hills will regrow.”
People in the Lofgreen area of Tooele County also returned home Monday after evacuation orders for that area, along with Vernon Reservoir, were lifted.
As for Haynes, she always felt for people going through natural disasters. She just never thought she’d be one of them.
“My heart's always gone out to them," she said. "Well, now I am one. When people show you compassion, and they open their doors. That’s just a whole other element, and now I understand that.”
