Sun draws volunteers to Saratoga Springs cleanup

Sunny skies and the pleasant temperature Monday drew thousands of volunteers to help flood-plagued Saratoga Springs.

City officials estimated at least 3,000 volunteers had flocked to the city to help residents clean up after torrential downpours drove water and mud from the recent Dump Fire burn scar down the mountain Saturday night. An estimated two dozen homes were damaged.

The nasty-smelling sludge filled basements, culverts, drainage ponds and ditches.

The city is expected to hold a press conference at 3:30 p.m. Monday to discuss its long-term mitigation efforts to prevent a reoccurrence in the snowy winter months, and when snow melts in the spring.

Meanwhile, the city building inspector looked at the 11 homes that were most severely damaged by the onslaught of the fast-flowing sludge and determined that all were safe for occupancy.

Volunteer electricians have been working around the clock, inspecting every damaged property. Of those, three homes had to have main breaker panels removed and restored. All other homes have had their utilities restored.

Volunteers are still welcome to assist. However, the city has a couple of requests of volunteers:

• Volunteers must be at least 16 years old and bring photo identification if possible.

• People are asked to car pool and stagger arrival times if possible

• Wear proper footwear and safety gear

• Bring their own tools such as shovels, wheelbarrows, brooms, box cutters, garbage bags, etc.

Shuttles are being offered from the volunteer check-in site at the Fox Hollow LDS Stake Center, 2974 S. Swainson Ave (200 West).

For anyone planning to spend the day outdoors, sunny skies with highs in the 80s were predicted all day Monday for northern Utahns. Southern Utahns could also expect sunny skies, but temperatures in the 90s.

Air quality was rated at "green," or healthy statewide, according to the Utah Department of Air Quality.

Salt Lake City was forecast to have a high temperature of 86 Monday and 88 on Tuesday; Ogden expected readings of 86 and 86 degrees, respectively; Provo 88 and 88; Logan 85 and 85; Wendover 85 and 89; Duchesne 81 and 82; Cedar City 84 and 84; St. George 99 and 97; and Moab 90 degrees both days.

jstecklein@sltrib.com

Twitter @sltribjanelle