PINE VALLEY, Utah — After more than a week being kept from their homes due to the Forsyth Fire, one of the most destructive in Utah over the last five years, Pine Valley residents were finally allowed to return home Friday.
"It is such a relief to be back, to being able to be back to our home," expressed resident Christina Griffin, who relocated to St. George under the evacuation orders.
Although her family's home was left untouched by the fire that destroyed 13 other residences, the devastation the fire left behind is hard to see firsthand.
"We walked the Pine Valley Reservoir, me and my mom, and it's so beautiful, and it's going to be hard to see the devastation of the trees and everything else that's taken from the fire," she said."
Looking at the hillsides surrounding Pine Valley, residents still see smoke in the background, as well as fire activity and air resources that still battle the flames.
How can you protect your home from wildfire destruction?
Candy Stevenson is with the federal team now managing the Forsyth Fire.
The Forsyth Fire is now 22% contained but has burned more than 10,600 acres since it started on June 19. Fire investigators said it sparked from heat blown by wind that came off a smoldering tree that had been struck by lightning 10 days before.
"It's definitely a release. It's a relief for us, a relief for the residents," said Candy Stevenson with Great Basin Incident Management Team 7. "It makes us feel good, you know, and a lot of times we don't get to do that so soon when we're on a fire assignment."
Although many of the 13 homes destroyed in the fire were second homes, Griffin is a full-time resident in the community.
"The fires didn't really hit my area, so we're... We're pretty lucky in that way, although I feel for those that have had the devastation," she said.
Longtime Pine Valley resident's home safe for now as neighbors, friends lose theirs to Forsyth Fire:
Pine Valley will remain restricted to residents only until at least Monday. The growth of the fire at this point is mostly limited to rugged mountain terrain between Pine Valley and Interstate 15.
"We don't want to have you come back and then have to evacuate you again. So we have to be very sure that this is going to stay, the fire's gonna stay where it is," Stevenson explained.
It may be a while until things truly get back to normal, with the smoke having to clear first.
"My only concern is I have asthma," Griffin shared. 'So that's going to be a little challenging. I'd probably just stay inside more than anything.
