SEVIER COUNTY, Utah — There are a bunch of people hoping firefighters can get a hold of the growing Monroe Canyon Fire in Sevier County, enabling them to save generations-old family cabins that have become meeting spots full of memories.
"It’s just exploding. It’s just a big, big complex. It’s huge," said Greg Jensen of the fire that has grown to over 5,000 acres. His family owns a cabin on Monroe Mountain. "This property is really fun for our family."
Jensen’s grandparents, Leal and Hazel Peterson, secured the mountain property for their family well over a hundred years ago, and their posterity have met and made memories together ever since.
Monroe Canyon Fire grows to over 5,000 acres; Evacuations remain in place:
"It brought this to the life of my siblings and cousins, and there’s just so many of us. We’ve just all grown up on this mountain, and it’s really been such a wonderful thing for our families," Jensen explained.
The family plans to go up to the cabin next month and celebrate what would be their grandpa’s 118th birthday as they do each and every year, and they're hoping they can still can.
"Somehow, someway ... the cabin is still there," Jensen said through tears. "It's ... as you said, these past 48 hours have been kind of crazy. There’s many landowners, I mean up on the top and other sections, there’s literally thousands of acres of private property, and so many people throughout this valley and this state have cabins that have this legacy and history over a hundred years."
Jensen's emotions are shared by others familiar with the importance and history of the area affected by the wildfire.
"Seriously, tears come to my eyes," said Braelynn Lamprecht, who grew up in nearby Glenwood where her family still resides, and even named one of her children after the special place.
On Tuesday, she spoke from her home in Saratoga Springs, but her heart, she says, will always be in the Monroe mountains.
"You go up and fish and hunt up by big lake, deep lake, we fish, hunt, and so it just is devastating," Lamprecht shared.
Lampbrecht and her family are currently building a family cabin of her own in this area.
"Hopefully there’s still something there," she said.
"It is a beautiful, beautiful place," added Jensen. "There’s just so many activities that go on there, so it’s kind of devastating to look at this. I remember my grandfather showing me an old burn scar that would have been 500 years old or older, and you could still see the old remnants of it."
Jensen lives in Richfield and serves as Sevier County commissioner. He's been receiving some positive updates, joining with so many, like Lampbrecht, who are hoping everyone can survive the wildfire and firefighters can continue to save the beloved cabins and homesteads.
"Just praying the men and women, the firefighters, can save it," said Lampbrecht. "We’re hoping."
