Utah bans fireworks July 2-5 amid wildfire emergency

Utah Governor Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency and imposed a temporary statewide ban on personal fireworks on Thursday, June 25, as unprecedented wildfire behavior and extreme drought threaten the state ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. The restrictions, in effect from July 2 through July 5, empower local leaders to designate specific safe areas for displays in consultation with fire officials.

The governor's decision comes amid a severe wildfire season, with the Cottonwood Fire now the largest active blaze in the United States. The fire ignited on Monday, June 22, in the Fishlake National Forest and had grown to more than 144 square miles (over 92,000 acres) by Saturday, June 27, with zero containment. It has caused severe damage to the Eagle Point ski resort in Beaver County, destroying more than 100 condos and cabins and forcing the resort's indefinite closure. Governor Cox described the Cottonwood Fire as potentially the most destructive in state history in terms of property loss, though no injuries or fatalities have been reported.

Multiple other large fires are burning across Utah. The Iron Fire near Eureka has burned approximately 63 square miles and was 26%...