Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Beaver faces thunderstorm and flash flood threats, with debris flow concerns rising.
- The National Weather Service issued alerts after debris reached Beaver's east side.
- Residents prepare for potential evacuation as community rallies to fill sandbags.
BEAVER — Neighbors and community leaders alike were watching the skies cautiously amid ongoing thunderstorm potential and flash flood risk, and after a new debris flow came down from the Cottonwood Fire burn scar Thursday afternoon following a rainstorm upstream.
The National Weather Service issued an alert on social media about the debris flow, and it reached the east side of Beaver around 3:20 p.m., according to a time stamp on a video shared by Beaver County Commission Chair Wade Hollingshead.
"This is exactly the stuff they talk about in a burn scar," Hollingshead said during an interview with KSL. "This is a dangerous flow, flash flooding-type stuff."
The elevated flow, which continued until after 4 p.m., carried tree limbs, branches and logs down the river as neighbors watched anxiously from the riverbanks.
"(I) hope they keep going," Doug Malmedal said. "You don't want a blockage downstream."
Hollingshead said crews were watching for any potential clogs, and officials were monitoring the river around the clock with live cameras.
Neighbors within a quarter-mile radius were being updated, including with emergency alerts.
One alert during the debris flow placed neighbors in that range on "SET" status.
"Make sure your emergency kit is packed and ready to go by the door or in your car," the emergency push notification read. "Be ready to leave at a moment's notice. Leave now if you want or if you feel unsafe."
The area was later reduced to "READY" alert status.
Hollingshead said this was the second debris flow to come through this week.
"The one on Tuesday produced about a quarter-inch of rain for about 30 minutes," Hollingshead explained. "If it produces more than that for a longer period of time, that's when it gets extremely dangerous, and we want to make sure everyone is safe, first and foremost — people that live here, sheriff, search and rescue — and if that evacuation order is put out, people should not stick around."
Homeowner Tom Shakespeare said he felt like crews were doing everything they could to stay on top of the situation.
"The city and county and state are working with trackhoes all the way up and down to protect us," Shakespeare said.
He acknowledged, however, that nobody can control nature, and as the threat of additional thunderstorms loomed over the next seven to 10 days, he said the right kind of storm could cause real problems.
"Mother Nature to me is like God," Shakespeare said. "If we pay attention to what's going on, we do alright. And if we don't, all hell breaks loose."
Beaver residents had already been through a lot after the massively destructive Cottonwood Fire.
Malmedal turned emotional talking about the impact on his relatives.
"Our brother-in-law and sister-in-law — they had a place up there, they had their trailers up there," he said, fighting with some tears. "They went and got them out. They lucked out."
Hollingshead said the community had rallied together as a result and continued to help each other.
"Over the past four, five, six days, there's been a host of people doing a lot of service with regard to filling sandbags, taking sandbags to people who need them, and it's hard to name everyone," Hollingshead said. "These times really bring people together, I think, in a way. You get a chance to love and serve your neighbor and check on your neighbors, and that's what this community has done."
