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Kathy Sullivan might not be a willing student of chaos, but living along the Draper mountainside has made it a mandatory subject.
Residents like Sullivan living in and near Steeplechase — an affluent neighborhood on Draper City's East Bench — have firsthand experience with mudslides, flooding and most recently, wildfires.
"We're always dealing with something around here," Sullivan said.
That's why Draper City, assisted by some 200 volunteers, will celebrate National Public Lands Day by reseeding the mountainside above the homes that were threatened earlier this summer in a 40-acre wildfire. On Aug. 13, residents were part of a voluntary evacuation when the Bell Canyon Wildfire came dangerously close to homes, burning down one resident's playhouse.
Reseeding projects like this Saturday's are an effort to prevent mud slides as well as to plant native plants that burn more slowly, said Draper City Parks and Recreation director Greg Hilbig.
"This helps establish new growth in the burn area," Hilbig said. "When you lose the grasses and you have heavy rainstorms, you have potential for mud slides."
Within months of moving into her new home, Sullivan said a wildfire was raging well above her property line. The most recent fire this summer came within feet of her garage. In just more than three years, her neighborhood has been evacuated three times she said — twice for wildfires.
Since the 2008 fire, Draper City has added channels to divert water and put in rocks to flow water away from homes.
"We're in a much better place than after the fire in 2008," said Hilbig.
Fewer acres were burned and root systems were found intact with green coming up through burnt areas shortly after the August blaze.
Two hundred volunteers have signed up for this weekend and will be either putting down seeds or cleaning up garbage exposed after the fire.
Before the area became a hot spot for high-end homes, it was a popular among four-wheeling and ATV enthusiasts. After the Bell Canyon fire was put out, garbage from more than two decades ago was visible. Random car parts, beer bottles and a dishwasher will be removed and replaced with wild grasses.
"It was the sticks," Hilbig said. "People came out and did whatever they wanted."
The reseeding efforts won't pay off until spring when the plants will be growing. But Hilbig said the event itself will help raise awareness among homeowners on fire safety, which he said was half the battle.
Twitter: @ginabarker