Utah declares state of emergency, restricts fireworks as U.S. largest wildfire grows

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Utah has declared a state of emergency and restricted the use of personal fireworks through July 5, as the largest wildfire in the United States continues to expand amid hot, dry, and windy conditions. The emergency measure, announced by Governor Spencer Cox, comes as the Cottonwood Fire in southern Utah has grown to over 290 square kilometers and remains completely uncontained, according to state officials.

Coverage Comparison

The Guardian and The Hindu both reported that Utah Governor Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency and imposed temporary restrictions on fireworks ahead of the July 4 holiday. Both outlets highlighted the severity of the Cottonwood Fire, which has burned across a sparsely populated area of southern Utah since it started on June 22. The fire has ballooned in size, prompting mandatory evacuations and causing significant damage to the Eagle Point ski resort in Beaver County.

The two reports also noted the National Weather Service's rare "Particularly Dangerous Situation" warning, issued due to dry, windy conditions that have fueled the fires. The Guardian reported that Utah has had 373 wildfires so far this year, with all but 100 caused by humans, while The Hindu detailed the fire's rapid growth and the impact on nearby communities.

Key Claims

Governor Spencer Cox's executive order, announced on Thursday, allows the state forester to ban fireworks anywhere in the state. The order temporarily suspends a 2024 law that had prohibited the forester from banning fireworks in cities, as reported by The Guardian.

The Cottonwood Fire was first detected on Monday, June 22, and by Friday, June 26, it had grown to more than 290 square kilometers, according to The Hindu. The fire has burned nearly 72,000 acres and is at 0% containment, as reported by The Guardian, which described it as the most destructive fire in the state's history.

The fire severely damaged the Eagle Point ski resort and forced mandatory evacuations, according to both outlets. In addition, approximately 1,300 residents in the towns of Marysvale, Junction, and Circleville have been placed on notice that they should be prepared to leave if conditions worsen, as reported by The Hindu.

The National Weather Service issued a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" red flag warning, which The Guardian noted was the first in the service's history. The warning was issued as strong winds and dry conditions created extreme fire behavior, with officials reporting "crown runs" and "spotting."

Utah has experienced 373 wildfires this year, with all but 100 caused by humans, according to The Guardian. The state had nine active wildfires burning across more than 143,000 acres as of Friday, according to the state's wildfire dashboard, as reported by The Guardian.

In his announcement, Governor Cox emphasized that the executive order is not about taking decisions away from local communities. "We want to put local knowledge at the center of this process," he said. The state's default position is that fireworks are prohibited, but local fire chiefs and officials can still designate places where fireworks are allowed, if the hot, dry, and windy conditions allow.

Smoke from the fire has been pushing to the east and northeast, affecting air quality at popular vacation spots like Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks, though the impact has been limited to some haze in the Bryce area. Visitors to Bryce have posted videos on social media showing the giant plume in the distance. The smoke could be seen for hundreds of miles, all the way to Colorado, as reported by The Hindu.