Wildfire destroys Iron County couple's home

NEW HARMONY, Iron County — As Quentin Morisette walks around what used to be his dream home, he finds only charred remains. Silverware, a bed frame, cans, dishes, the spiral staircase, sinks, nails.

Gone is the new black granite countertop. Gone are the canned tomatoes and food storage that his wife, D.J. Morisette, organized. Gone is the pottery his brother made for them. Gone is the 1980 Triumph TR8 sports car.

"I think this is what's left of the engine," Quentin Morisette says as he holds up a pile of melted metal.

Also missing were the couple's beloved cats, Annabelle and Furball.

"I mean, we don't have any kids, so they are our kids," D.J. Morisette said sobbing.

And to make matters worse, the Morisettes' 20-acre ranch and destroyed three-story home are uninsured.

"We'd like the government pay for this," Quentin Morisette said. "We'd like to see the Forest Service pay for this."

As wildfires rage across the state, crews remain busy attempting to contain them.

According to a news release from the Forest Service, a combination of helicopter, engines and hand-crews spent the day battling the Mill Flat fire along the fire lines and are confident New Harmony and outlying areas are now secure from uncontrolled burns. Night crews were stationed and patrolling the area around structures and the community, yet standing evacuations remained in effect.

The fire, which was started by a lightning strike on July 25, was about 10 percent contained and has burned more than 10,000 acres.

Near Scofield Reservoir, the West Scofield fire continued to burn, and firefighters were providing protection to six homes that had been evacuated.

According to a Forest Service news release, the fire was 20 percent contained, and crews spent Tuesday securing containment lines and locating hidden pockets of heat.

From the air, three helicopters dropped water to subdue the most actively burning areas. The fire was human-caused.

The Sawmill Canyon fire near Scipio was 50 percent contained, and crews were continuing to battle the 5,183-acre fire, the Forest Service said.

The fire that began with a lightning strike was being fueled by gusty winds pushing flames through dormant brush, grass and mahogany, and oak trees. Bulldozers continued to shape a fire line near power-line corridors and safety zones for fire personnel, yet unpredictable winds limited resistance to ground crews alone.

The Forest Service said that at lower elevations, the fire was being managed at full suppression, but "steep rugged terrain" was preventing access to higher elevations and the fire, and efforts were focused on containment. The Sawmill fire has not forced any evacuations.

As firefighters continued to manage burns across the state, families in New Harmony were trying to cope with their loss.