This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
This summer's Rose Crest Fire around Herriman scorched more than 650 acres, destroyed four houses and forced the evacuation of an estimated 950 homes.
But the danger doesn't stop there: The hillsides, now stripped of vegetation, are vulnerable to erosion and slides, leaving property at risk for flooding.
To stop a potential debris flow problem before it starts, Herriman city officials are organizing up to 500 volunteers to seed approximately 400 acres on Saturday.
Herriman previously rallied the community to pitch in on reseeding efforts following the Machine Gun Fire in 2010, when more than 700 volunteers turned out to help.
The effort was a success, said City Council member Coralee Moser, who is optimistic this year's Help Herriman's Hillside event will again bring out hundreds of helping hands. She said she is thankful for volunteers who are willing to help.
"It just shows how great a community spirit Utah has," said Moser.
Moser said that the city hasn't experienced any mudslides in the two years since the Machine Gun Fire. Slides are most common in the first five years after a fire, she said.
Herriman and the county are working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to pay for the reseeding, which carries a price tag of $150,000. NRCS will pay 75 percent of that. The county and city will pick up the rest of the tab, mostly through the donation of volunteer hours.
The city needs volunteers to match the grant, said Herriman spokeswoman Nicole Martin. "Without volunteers," she said, "you can't do a project like this. We need them for funding."
Martin said as of Thursday afternoon, the city hadn't yet reached its goal of 500 registered volunteers. She invited anyone who would like to donate two hours of time to join the reseeding effort.
Moser agreed: "We would be so appreciative of their willingness to volunteer and make a difference."
Help Herriman
I What • Community reseeding project
Who • Adults, youth under 16 with supervision (one adult per nine youth; no youth younger than 11 will be allowed because of terrain and safety concerns)
Where • W&M Butterfield Park, Rosecrest Pavilion, 6212 W. 14200 South.
When • Saturday. Shifts start at 8 a.m.
Registration • Pre-register by visiting http://www.herriman.org and clicking on "Help Herriman's Hillside." Provide contact information and preferred shift start time. —
Reseeding project
Acres to reseed • 400
Volunteers needed • 500
Pounds of seed • About 11,000