A Raging Inferno 🔥

When we flew out for our Texas trip, we left at about 7:15am.  By that afternoon, the smaller fire that had started up the mountain got completely OUT OF CONTROL by wicked winds and hot, dry conditions.  Before anyone knew it, there was an evacuation order for Woodland Hills, Elk Ridge and anyone else south of the high line canal..... which was us.  Cade was the only one in the family who didn't go to Texas.  He called me upset and worried.  I had him, my mom and Aunt Julie run to my house and get my scrapbooks, home movies, car titles and our other important documents.  Its a funny feeling when you consider what is irreplaceable and what isn't.  Those were the only things I was concerned about.  Everything else was replaceable.

The fires continued to burn out of control and spreading quickly.  The fire soon became the currently largest fire in the US.  It burned from Payson to Loafer to the backside of Tower, all through Spanish Fork Canyon and Birdseye, jumping the four lane highway, closing down Highway 6 and making its way up Diamond Fork, and over to Hobble Creek in Springville.  There were approximately 2,400 firefighters from all across the US fighting it.  Many prayers and fasting took place.  The winds died down and even when the winds were heavy, it didn't spread further down Loafer.  There have been accounts of firefighters who said that the wind was so strong that it almost pushed them backwards, yet the fire went in the opposite direction of the wind, keeping it contained.  I spoke with Karen Larsen about her pond because the helicopters were taking water from their ranch, which is up Loafer mountain.  They took bucket after bucket, all day long, day after day, and crazy enough, the pond never went down.  I thought for sure it would have been dry or at best, just a puddle.  But our prayers were answered and they water not only helped in the fight but it didn't even go down....  miracle after miracle.  After 9 days the residents were allowed to go back to their homes.  Not one person has been lost in the fire and not one structure has been lost!  Its truly been a miracle and an answer to prayer.