Governor Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency Thursday that prohibits all fireworks through July 5 as Utah deals with ongoing extreme wildfire danger.
The temporary order allows the state to prohibit fireworks statewide throughout the upcoming Independence Day holiday, but allows local communities to designate special areas where fireworks can be used in a safe way.
In recent days, Cox had been looking at legal options to empower communities to impose additional fireworks restrictions. Under Utah law, the governor cannot enact an all-out ban. Cities are also blocked from enacting total bans on igniting personal fireworks, except for communities that are entirely in a wildland urban interface — meaning they are at the highest risk of fire danger.
During the current fire season, Utah has recorded 353 wildfires that have burned a total of 141,000 acres. One of the largest fires, the Iron Fire in Juab County, which is still burning at over 30,000 acres, was likely caused by illegal fireworks, according to Cox.
The Cottonwood Fire in Beaver County was also human-caused and is now considered to be one of the most destructive fires in state history.
Read Ben Winslow's full report at fox13now.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.
