RUSH VALLEY, Utah — Rush Valley is one of the closest communities to the Stookey Fire burning in Tooele County, and residents hope the winds are shifting in a positive direction.
In the town of about 500 people, neighbors are always looking out for each other, and their livestock, of course.
Ninety years in the community, Garth Stookey has seen his fair share of wildfires, but it's the first time one has carried his name.
“Yeah, I’m a Stookey," said Garth. "That fire out here is named after Stookey Springs, that’s in the mountain up here."
Since July 10, all those in Rush Valley have been watching the wildfire from their backyards. As of Wednesday, it has grown to over 13,000 acres and remains zero percent contained.
“Mother Nature is still the boss. If the wind blows hard enough and it’s hot enough and dry enough, she wins," said resident Dennis Sagers.
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For Sagers, a wildfire burning close to him comes as no surprise.
“You know, we are in a drought. It’s horrible. It’s hot. Set records the other day, but there’s not much we can do about it when we have lightning strikes… and I’m just grateful we have a local fire department, government agencies, and I just can’t say enough about them," he added.
Those who live a bit closer to the fire decided to evacuate on their own. But even then, they’re always looking out for each other.
“I’ve got my own list of people that I contact and say, 'you’re good,'" said Sarah Lambourne. "Friends that work in Tooele, I say, 'if it hits this point, I’ll call you. I’ll make sure that you know.'”
Although thousands of acres have been burned nearby, the community will not lack for finding help from a fellow neighbor.
“We’re a community," said Lambourne. "We come together. We help out.”
