The fire that started in Alpine early Tuesday afternoon has caused Box Elder and Alpine Cove subdivisions to evacuate. Approximately 60 homes have been evacuated.
The Utah County fire, burning 2,000 acres, originally began on the south side of Lambert Park and was reported by KSL to be from a tractor at a construction site. The fire is burning the mountain away from homes. One barn was burned while two homes received minor smoke damage.
The National Guard was called in by Governor Gary Herbert in the beginning of the fire. The fire has moved to a stage two, meaning it is beyond local fire departments’ capabilities to control. A team from Colorado will be the first out-of-state correspondents to arrive and at approximately 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Abram Skidmore, a recent BYU MACc graduate, responded when his mom called to tell him there was a fire too close for comfort. Skidmore was eager to help his mom and traveled as quickly as he could from Provo.
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Those within the evacuated subdivisions have been moved from the original evacuee site, an LDS Church, to Timberline Middle School.
Red Cross IPO, George Miller, said the Red Cross most likely will not set up a shelter Timberline Middle School because there isn’t enough need.
“Most people are staying with their friends and family in the area,” Miller said. He also said experiences like this really show how Utah comes together.
“Most states normally have 20-30 percent of evacuees needing shelter. In Utah it is only about 10 percent,” he said.
Miller said the best way for people to volunteer is to send in their donations online through redcross.org rather than bringing goods or coming in person.
“Finances are the most flexible donations,” he said. “We can go to the local grocery store and buy water, or whatever we need.”
In addition to the evacuation services the Red Cross offers, they also have follow-up services for those who have damages to their homes as well as counselling.
JD Schoen, a junior majoring in industrial design, has family from the Alpine area.
“It makes me a little bit scared and uneasy,” said Schoen. “I hope that it doesn’t hurt my family or other people in that area.”
Angie Palmer is an evacuated resident who had two nephews coming to stay with her family for Independence Day. Through it all, Angie expressed her gratitude about the firefighters.
“They are doing a remarkable job–we love them,” said Palmer.
For more information about the fire follow #quailfire on Twitter.
