Last year’s wildfire above Farmington may have contributed to an April 2004 mudslide in the same location. According to the National Weather Service about 2 inches of rain fell on this steep hillside all at once on Tuesday evening, and that amount of rain has the potential to cause mudslides regardless of past fire activity. It does seem likely, however, that last year’s fire contributed to this mudslide event. Vegetation on the hillside stabilizes the slope and offers some resistance to the forces of water running down hill. Another possible contributor to this week’s slide is past grazing practices, which likely changed the composition of vegetation on the hillside. Roads and OHV use are other possible contributors. See the Utah Geological Survey Web site for more information on landslides.

Mudslide 2004 357KB (best suited for dial-up connection)

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