- Beaver community rallies to aid Mo Larsen's family after Cottonwood Fire loss.
- Volunteers assist with repairs on Larsen's new home while raising funds for victims.
- Larsen praises community's support, highlighting their close-knit and altruistic nature.
BEAVER — Saturday morning, Mo Larsen and her family were met by a small army of neighbors, ready to help them recover from their loss in the Cottonwood Fire. Larsen says she was hesitant at first to accept the help, but eventually agreed when offered by friends at church.
"I think it's awesome," Larsen said in gratitude. "It's the most Christlike thing that I could think of, to be able to serve a neighbor in need; someone who did lose a home in the fire."
Larsen and her family were in the process of moving into a home they purchased in Beaver a few months ago. Until a very recent, abrupt turn of events, their condo near the Eagle Point Ski Resort was also their primary home.
"There was still stuff and furniture and memories in that house," Larsen explained. "And we were going to just be renting it out over the winter and in the summer."
Larsen says her husband, a volunteer firefighter, happened to be near the condo when the fire erupted, but couldn't gather their belongings.
"Instead of grabbing our stuff, my husband was knocking doors, making sure everyone else was evacuated because he's a hero," Larsen said.
Related:
Crews battle dry conditions, strong winds as Cottonwood Fire grows to more than 92,000 acres
Ground crews are battling dry conditions and strong winds as they try to gain some kind of containment around the massive Cottonwood Fire, which has grown to well over 92,000 acres.Meantime, Larsen's home in Beaver was not quite move-in ready. Volunteers on Saturday were helping bury a water main, sanding and painting wooden wall panels, and helping run wires for lighting. Neighbors like Nick Pray were eager to help.
"We're all kind of a big family around here," Pray said. "Even people that come from out of town, they notice that and that's why they end up sticking around."
Larsen also points out that the community around Beaver, Iron, and Garfield counties is raising funds for people who have suffered losses in the Cottonwood Fire, with accounts set up at Utah Independent Bank and the State Bank of Southern Utah.
"This is an amazing community, and we're a really tight-knit community," Larsen said. "And I know that if somebody needed help, then people would be there."
