How to prevent wildfires during the hot and dry summer season
The American Red Cross of Utah is collaborating with the Salt Lake Fire Department, warning Utahns on how to stay safe and informed during wildfire season. Heidi Ruster, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross Utah/Nevada Region, stated that she knows from experience how wildfires started by accident can turn into a dangerous and life-threatening situation.
These two organizations provided tips for fire safety during camping, shooting and other recreation. Those include:
- Not parking hot vehicles on dry grass
- Making sure your fire is completely out before walking away
- While shooting, placing targets away from rock backstops which can cause ricochets and sparks
For more information, please visitredcross.org.
Heat warning this weekend
An excessive heat warning effective Saturday afternoon to Monday evening was issued by the National Weather Service for Southern Utah. Wasatch Front, Tooele, Rush Valleys and the West Desert are also under excessive heat watch. Temperatures are predicted to reach as high as 115 degrees in Washington County and areas by the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
The Utah state record high was set in 1985 at 117 degrees and matched in 2021. The weather service highly recommends drinking plenty of fluids and staying in air-conditioned rooms, to avoid heat-related illnesses.
A top Colorado River official steps down
In a move first reported by the Associated Press, Tanya Trujillo is stepping down as the Interior Department’s assistant secretary for water and science, after roughly two years.
She advised federal policymakers through difficult negotiations about how states should share the Colorado River, which is shrinking due to climate change. During that time, the Interior Department worked with seven Western states to curb water use. The parties didn’t come up with substantial or long-lasting reductions to water demand, though, and still face pressure to agree on new rules by 2026.
Trujillo told the AP it made sense to leave now as the Biden administration prepares for a reelection campaign.
