ELK RIVER — The annual Thunder in the Mountains Fireworks Show brings thousands to ElkRiver for a weekend of fireworks, food, drinks and riding ATVs through the woods to celebrate Independence Day.

It may be fun for the tourists, but for 19-year resident Diana Olson and her husband Dave, it can be a stressful event, especially when people drive drunk or speed through the residential streets.

“I mean, people come up here and they tear stuff up,” Diana Olson said Saturday during the event. “It’s like, they’re out in the woods, they forget that this is our home, and they go out and they raise hell.”

The Olsons estimated somewhere between 2,000-3,000 people typically flock to the small Idaho town during the event.

There to make sure people stay safe and within the law are deputies from the Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office and officials from the U.S. Forest Service and Idaho Fish and game.

The Olsons appreciate law enforcement’s presence so much that for the third year in a row, the couple invited them into their homes for free food and a place to rest.

“It just gives them a place to relax and to get away from everybody and they can still keep an eye on if something goes wrong,” Diana Olson. “People are cruel. When they go into the restaurants and stuff downtown, people aren’t nice to them. They get oinked at, they get harassed, they get called names.”

Clearwater County Deputies Kasey Light and Connor McCullough were there early Saturday afternoon, enjoying the free hot dogs on the Olsons’ porch. Light said he and his co-workers are grateful for the couple’s efforts.

“It’s nice to be able to come up and still know that we’re supported like that and there are people out there that are still willing to offer their home and their time to support us,” he said.

Diana Olson said they have always respected police and have become friends with the deputies through the years.

“We’ve got family in law enforcement and we want these guys to be treated like we want our family to be treated,” she said.

Other Elk River residents also support the Olsons’s generosity and donated some of the food served Saturday. Dave Olson said Idaho Ice and Idaho Beverages donated the refreshments.

“It’s kind of a team effort that way,” he said.

Down the street from the Olsons, the Elk River Volunteer Fire Department served burgers and hot dogs to the public as a fundraiser.

Their job is to respond to any fires within the city and provide backup help for any fires that occur on the surrounding county land, said Chief Wayne Wilson. Wilson said he believed the recently implemented ban on private fireworks within city limits makes their jobs easier.

“It actually helps us,” he said.

In a month, the Elk River Volunteer Fire Department expects to move into a brand new, larger firehouse thanks to $89,000 in donations and upcoming grant money to fund the cost.

Wilson said hot dog and burger sales helped pay for that new facility.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.