BEAVER, Utah — While the Cottonwood Fire still burns in parts of central Utah, the owner of the heavily damaged Eagle Point Resort shared how the "hardest part is over," with the focus now set firmly on rebuilding.
For the first time since the fire started on June 22, the resort allowed media on-site to see the extent of the damage and the toll it has taken on those who worked there.
While at the resort Thursday, owner Shane Gadbaw shared how 105 condominiums and 40 of the location's cabins were destroyed in the fire, including the Canyonside Lodge. The ski lift behind the destroyed lodge was also severely damaged, along with others around the resort.
In all, 145 families who lost their homes or condos were affected by the fire.
While devastating to see in person, Gadbaw said hopes of returning remain high among staff because large parts of the resort were untouched by the flames.
However, any excitement has been tempered by management having to lay off members on the resort side of operations due to the inability to open for the summer.
Of the resort's 15 full-time employees, Eagle Point has only been able to keep two, and that doesn't include the 100 seasonal employees who have no resort to currently work at, although Gadbaw said he has been helping those team members transition to other construction projects.
Homeowners return to find what survived the Cottonwood Fire:
Gadbaw is now focused on getting the resort back up and running as soon as possible, working on insurance issues, and then on cleanup efforts. He said closing Eagle Point, for any amount of time, is tough as it is a community he has worked so hard to build. For that reason, he's not giving up anytime soon.
"I'm here for the long haul," said Gadbaw. "This is my life's work."
Apart from the rebuilding efforts at Eagle Point, hundreds, if not thousands, are attempting to rebuild their lives following the Cottonwood Fire. The BeaverTUF foundation has been established to help everyone recover through funding for restoration and community needs.
