With Utah facing one of its worst fire seasons on record and increasingly strained resources, Gov. Spencer Cox issued an emergency order on Thursday that prohibits all fireworks statewide through July 5.
Gov. Cox had already been looking for a way to impose additional fireworks restrictions, based on recent concerns from local and state fire officials.
“When people who've dedicated their lives to protecting Utah tell us this year is different, we desperately need to listen,” he said at the press conference.
But his options were limited.
Under state law, the governor cannot enact an all-out fireworks ban. Neither can cities except for those entirely within the wildland urban interface, which is the highest risk of fire danger.
But blazes like the Bonneville Fire in Salt Lake City can easily cross urban boundaries.
“The Huntsman Cancer Institute, that fire was burning within 100 feet,” Cox said. “That’s how close this was.”
So instead, Cox issued an executive order that temporarily expands the authority of the state forester to enact the ban.
It applies statewide through the Fourth of July holiday, though it does allow some flexibility for municipalities.
“Mayors and local leaders working in consultation with their fire chiefs, their fire officials, will have the authority to designate areas where fireworks can still be used safely,” Cox said.
Some cities and towns have already decided to at least partially ban fireworks.
Starting Friday at 12:01 a.m., the entire state will also enter stage two fire restrictions, which means no open fires of any kind, as well as the restrictions Utah is already under from stage one.
State Forester Jamie Barnes emphasized that individual Utahns can make a difference during this historic fire season.
“Most of the fires we are fighting this year didn’t have to start. We are pushing more than 80% of human-caused fires,” Barnes said. “I raise this because it means that we can do something about this.”
That includes using a camp stove instead of a campfire whenever possible, making sure chains don’t drag when pulling a trailer, and not lighting fireworks at home.
More prevention tips can be found on the Utah Fire Sense website.
