ELBERTA, Utah — It was a busy night on Friday as residents from multiple towns headed down Highway 6 under evacuation orders due to the Cherry Fire. For some, it was their second evacuation in a week.
Like the howling wind that just won’t let up, neither will the stress for those forced to leave their homes,
Anitra Cornish left her home in Eureka and hunkered down at an evacuation shelter in nearby Elberta. She wasn't alone, as she was with her chihuahuas, 6-year-old Joey and 16-year-old Sonny, as well as her Aunt Connie.
"It’s awesome… she’s like a second mom… always has been," Cornish said of her aunt.
This isn't their first evacuation this week. The Iron Fire forced them from their homes last Saturday, and after a couple of days in Taylorsville, they were finally able to return home Thursday.
"Put the dogs in there to have their food, sat down in a chair, and just took a sigh of relief," recalled Cornish.
But 28 hours later, the newly sparked Cherry Fire was racing its way towards town.
"Again. Here we go again," she said. "Yep. Oh, no. Here we go again.
"Pretty nerve-racking," said resident Steve Kissell.
Kissell was able to get an escort past the roadblocks.
"We got a little house up in Mammoth, and we’re trying to get some of the irreplaceable stuff, just in case it goes up," explained Kissell. "It was kind of hard getting things and wondering if that’s going to be the last time we see it."
With the important things safe, there wasn't a lot else to do but wait.
"Just kind of buckle down and watch," Kissell said. "We’ll just go from there."
Watch, hope for the best, and for Cornish, wonder what’s still to come this fire season.
"I hope we don’t have to do it again!"
