Utah declares emergency and restricts fireworks as wildfire danger intensifies ahead of July 4
Utah has declared a state of emergency and temporarily restricted fireworks ahead of the July 4 holiday as wildfire conditions worsen across the state. The measures come as the Cottonwood fire continues to spread in southern Utah and other fires burn in several counties. Officials have also urged residents in parts of Juab County to prepare to evacuate if needed.
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The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning on Friday, describing it as the first Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning in the history of its Salt Lake City office. The agency said an exceptionally rare and dangerous fire weather pattern was expected to continue across parts of the Great Basin and Four Corners region. It also said an Extremely Critical Risk of fire weather was forecast for the day, with Critical Fire Risk remaining in place through the weekend.
The Cottonwood fire began on Monday in a remote area of southern Utah and has grown to more than 70,000 acres, according to the supplied report. Strong winds have hampered aerial firefighting operations and increased fire activity, with officials reporting sustained winds of 56 kilometres per hour and gusts of 72 kilometres per hour. A government spokesperson said crews were seeing extreme fire behaviour, including crown runs and spotting.
The emergency declaration and fireworks restriction reflect the scale of the fire threat during a period when many communities would normally be preparing for Independence Day celebrations. Fireworks bans are often used in high-risk conditions to reduce the chance of new ignitions, especially when dry vegetation, strong winds and low humidity combine. In this case, the restrictions were introduced while multiple fires were already active across Utah.
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The report said fires were burning in Juab, Tooele, Iron, Salt Lake, Utah and Millard counties, with some locations experiencing multiple outbreaks. It also said the Eagle Point ski resort in Beaver County had suffered extensive damage and that mandatory evacuation orders had been issued in some areas. The Juab County Sheriff urged residents in Eureka, Mammoth and Silver City to move to a set status and be ready to leave.
What remains unclear is how quickly crews will be able to contain the Cottonwood fire and whether the weather will ease enough to improve aerial suppression efforts. Officials have not yet given a full assessment of the total damage across the affected counties. The situation is likely to remain fluid through the holiday period as fire crews, local law enforcement and weather forecasters monitor conditions closely.
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