This is your daily news rundown for Tuesday, Aug. 18. In this edition:
- Fire evacuations were lifted for areas affected by the Widemouth 2 and Rocky Canyon Fires
- Advocacy organizations are fighting against pro-nuclear plant billboards in Utah
- Park City Mountain announced its opening date for the next ski season
Fire evacuations in Millard and Summit County were lifted
More evacuations have been lifted for wildfires in Utah.
All Millard County residents who were evacuated because of the massive Widemouth 2 Fire can now return home. However, they should still be prepared to evacuate again at a moment’s notice.
That fire has burned 128,000 acres and is about 90% contained.
The Rocky Canyon Fire in Summit County is similarly close to full containment after burning 16,000 acres.
Those in Henefer who were previously evacuated can now return home. “Set” evacuation statuses near Franklin Canyon were also lifted.
These advocacy organizations are fighting Utah’s pro-nuclear plant billboards
Earlier this year, Utah put up a dozen billboards promoting nuclear energy, saying things like “nuclear plants emit less radiation than bananas.”
On Monday, three Utah advocacy organizations filed a formal complaint with the Federal Trade Commission over those claims.
Downwinders Incorporated, Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah, and Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment say the billboards are false, deceptive, and misleading.
They want a formal investigation into the state’s promotion of Gov. Spencer Cox’s “Operation Gigawatt,” which aims to double power production by 2034.
Utah’s Office of Energy Development told Deseret News they would continue to share “fact-based, science-based information about civil nuclear energy.”
After a lackluster ski season, Park City Mountain announced its next season
Utah’s last ski season was one of the worst in recent memory, with the lack of snow leaving slopes bare and forcing some resorts to close early.
Park City Mountain, however, remains optimistic about the next season. They announced on Tuesday that their opening date will be Friday, Nov. 20.
Vail Resorts, which owns the ski getaway, said they hope an active Super El Niño system will bring more snow for the upcoming winter.
