This is your daily news rundown for Friday, April 10. In this edition:
- Utah is now the epicenter of measles outbreaks in the U.S.
- St. George is one of the fastest-growing metros in the country
- Restoration is underway for 27,000 acres burned by the Monroe Canyon Fire
Utah is now the measles epicenter of the U.S.
Utah has become the epicenter of U.S. measles outbreaks.
South Carolina previously had the largest outbreak — one of the country’s biggest in recent history at nearly 1,000 —but hasn’t reported any new cases in nearly a month.
Meanwhile, Utah has seen 24 new cases just in the last five days.
Two-thirds of the state's nearly 600 total cases have been reported since the start of 2026, making it the country’s epicenter for the disease, according to the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
The biggest hotspot in the state is the Southwest Utah Public Health Department’s jurisdiction, accounting for a little under half of cases. The vast majority of cases have also been in unvaccinated people.
St. George is one of the 10 fastest-growing regions in the country
St. George is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, according to new census data.
It’s also the only Western metro to make the top 10, sitting at number eight with a 2.5% population increase between 2024 to 2025.
Comparatively, growth across all metro areas declined dramatically on average from 2023, according to the Census Bureau, from 1.1% to 0.6%, largely because of a drop in international migration.
St. George’s booming growth has caused problems for the area, however, such as water shortages and rising traffic.
Restoration is underway for the Monroe Canyon Fire area
The U.S. Forest Service is working to restore the area burned last year by the massive Monroe Canyon Fire.
The fire sparked in Sevier County last July and burned over 70,000 acres before it was completely contained in September.
Now, Fishlake National Forest has launched a post-fire restoration effort in partnership with Utah’s Department of Natural Resources and the Watershed Restoration Initiative.
It involves aerial seeding of nearly 27,000 acres to help stabilize soils, reduce erosion, and encourage the return of healthy native vegetation.
