Emery County Sheriff’s Office Press Release:
State road 31 in Huntington Canyon remains closed due to road damage after a Thursday afternoon storm over the Seeley Fire burn scar resulted in debris flows and flooding.
Due to the intensity of the storm, protective measures previously constructed by the Forest Service in the headwaters of Pole Canyon, South Hughes and Engineer Canyon washed out to the roadway and Huntington Creek below. Basins recently constructed at Mill Canyon to lessen the impact to Huntington Creek filled to capacity.
Utah Department of Transportation crews have been putting forth great efforts to reopen the road. Debris has been cleared from the roadway, but there is an area at milepost 30.85 at Horse Canyon where SR 31 has been undercut and damaged extensively. Crews are hauling in materials to make a passage lane through the damaged area, and expect to have the road open Friday afternoon.