This is your daily news rundown for Tuesday, Nov. 26. In this edition:
- The Red Cross of Utah offers tips on how to avoid kitchen fires on Thanksgiving
- The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources director is retiring
- Avalanche warnings have increased in several parts of Utah
How to avoid kitchen fires on Thanksgiving, the most fire-prone day of the year
For many, Thanksgiving is one of the biggest meals of the year — and with that can come more kitchen fires.
Home cooking fires occur more often on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year, with an estimated 1,610 reported to U.S. fire departments in 2022. That’s a 400% increase above the average daily number of fires.
The Red Cross of Utah has a number of kitchen safety tips to avoid fires when getting ready for the big day. Since most cooking fires are caused by leaving things unattended, they recommend staying close by and checking on food regularly.
Other tips include keeping items that can burn away from the stove, not wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking, turning pot handles toward the back of the stove to prevent accidental spills, and using timers as a reminder that the stove or oven is on.
If a grease fire starts when cooking, turn off the stove, cover the pot or pan with a lid, and then douse the fire with baking soda, salt, or a fire extinguisher — never water, as that can cause burning grease to splash, possibly spreading the fire and harming bystanders.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources director to retire
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources director Justin “J” Shirley is retiring after 22 years with the division.
Shirley joined the division in 2002 and became director in 2021 after two years as law enforcement chief.
During his time as director, the division and its partners have acquired and created the Blackhawk Waterfowl Management Area, created a new nursery facility for desert bighorn sheep, and setting a record for the number of big game animals GPS collared and assessed during winter captures, among other efforts for Utah’s wildlife.
Shirley’s retirement will be effective Jan. 1, 2025.
Avalanche warnings increased in parts of Utah, human-caused avalanches likely
With an incoming storm moving through Utah, the risk of avalanches is higher in several places throughout the state.
On Tuesday, the Utah Avalanche Center upgraded warnings to considerable for parts of Ogden, Provo, Skyline, and Moab. In those areas, the chances of human-triggered avalanches are considered likely, especially places that get more snow and wind.
Those headed into the backcountry to ski, snowboard, or explore should be on the lookout for cracking or collapsing, the center said, as those are key clues to instability.
Other general tips for avalanche safety include having and getting training on equipment like probes and airbag packs, checking avalanche forecasts beforehand, and avoiding higher-risk areas like slopes steeper than 30 degrees.
