This is your rundown of the daily news for Friday, June 21. In this edition:
- Cedar City has created designated firework areas for July
- Officials warn the public to avoid the Provo River this summer
- The Little Twist fire in Beaver continues to grow after a week
- Flood watches have been issued for southeast and central Utah
- Utah Department of Transportation to buy new road safety technology
- Brush fire in Eagle Mountain leads to evacuation
Cedar City creates designated firework areas for July
3:58 p.m.
Cedar City has designated areas away from wildlands for July fireworks to help minimize fire hazards.
The locations include the parking lots of the Aquatic Center, Bicentennial Softball Complex, Cedar High School, and Iron Springs Elementary, as well as Canyon View High School and the closed-off street between the Bicentennial soccer complex parking lots.
Fireworks can be set off between July 2 and 4 and between July 22 and July 25 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. On July 4 and July 24, the cut-off is extended to midnight.
Those who use the designated areas for fireworks are asked to bring a bucket of water to safely dispose of used fireworks, and dumpsters will be available for clean-up.
Fireworks are prohibited in the Wildland Urban Interface Zones around the city and any unincorporated areas of Iron County.
A full map of designated firework areas and restricted zones can be viewed below or at this link.
Officials warn to avoid Provo River this summer
3:58 p.m.
Provo City officials are warning the public to stay away from the Provo River this summer.
With a big winter last year and full reservoirs going into the spring runoff season, the river is currently flowing at dangerously cold and fast speeds, making it all too easy for people to get swept away.
According to the Provo Fire Department, officials have been putting up caution tape and signs to remind everyone to stay away from the river until later in the summer.
Those recreating anywhere near the river are encouraged to stay at least forty feet away. Provo Fire also said that anyone who sees someone fall into the river should call 911 but not jump in after them.
Little Twist fire continues to grow after a week
3:58 p.m.
A fire near Beaver in Southern Utah continues to grow a week after it was first sparked.
The Little Twist fire began on June 13 as part of a prescribed burn that went beyond intended limits due to hot, dry, and windy weather.
It’s burned an estimated 2,300 acres of rugged terrain in Beaver County so far, and according to the Central Utah Fire Interagency’s last update, its only 10% contained.
Activity has also been increasing over the last 24 hours, with incoming winds likely to continue that trend.
As of today, there are 245 personnel assigned to fight the fire, with aerial resources working to prevent the fire from spreading too quickly.
Flood watches issued for southeast and central Utah
6:46 a.m
Flood watches have been issued for areas of southeast and central Utah including Blanding, Escalante, Green River, Kanab, Moab, and Torrey through 9 p.m. on Friday.
The National Weather Service warns that "Heavy rainfall may result in flooding of slot canyons, recent burn scars, normally dry washes, and other flood-prone locations."
Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef national parks, as well as Lake Powell and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument are prone to slot canyon flooding. Flooding is also possible in areas like Zion National Park.
Utah Department of Transportation to buy new road safety technology
6:46 a.m
Utah has received $20 million in federal funding from the Federal Highway Administration to help “connect the West.” Executive Director of the Utah Department of Transportation, Carlos Braceras, says the funds will be used to purchase and install vehicle-to-everything technology known as V2X- technology.
Vehicles equipped with V2X currently use it to improve route efficiency. For instance, a UDOT snowplow can automatically get a green light to clear roads faster.
The grant will also help UDOT create a "seamless and reliable" network between it, Colorado and Wyoming. Braceras says V2X- technology expansion could help improve transit and snowplow efficiency today, but federal and state experts envision a future where this type of technology improves roadway safety.
The technology can be used to help warn drivers when there's danger around — such as crashes, wrong-way drivers, pedestrians or bicyclists approaching intersections, or vehicles stopped around blind corners.
Brush fire in Eagle Mountain leads to evacuation
6:46 a.m
Residents in an area of Eagle Mountain were asked to evacuate after a brush fire broke out near their homes Thursday.
Homeowners were seen trying to battle the blaze before fire fighters arrived.
Images from the scene showed a line of fire burning through scrub brush on a small hill behind the homes.
The fire quickly grew to around 10 acres.
