This is your daily news rundown for Tuesday, Sept. 8. In this edition:
- A fire that sparked in Weber Canyon over the weekend is half contained
- Cities can add more savings to Washington County's waterwise landscaping program
- Here's how Salt Lake County is addressing mail-in voter concern for November's election
A fire in Weber Canyon has stalled, but further work will be slow
A fire that sparked in Weber Canyon over the weekend is now half contained.
The Broad Fire stalled at about 130 acres. However, Utah Fire Info says there’s still a lot of heat in the larger fuels on top of the mountain.
Fire crews say containment efforts will be slow as they hike through the steep, rocky terrain to put out those hotspots.
Weber Canyon is open in both directions, but use caution, since there are still fire crews and equipment directly along the highway.
Washington County’s waterwise program lets cities add more savings
The Washington County Water Conservancy District will help residents pay to replace lawn they’re not using — and may pay more depending on what city residents live in.
Through the water efficient landscape program, residents get $3 per square foot for replacing “nonfunctional turf,” which is lawn that’s only used for mowing.
Some cities will add to those savings too. Santa Clara has the highest payback for replacing nonfunctional turf in Utah at a total $4 per square foot.
The county’s efforts to save water come as Utah continues to struggle with drought. You can find more programs and education about water conservation in the state at Utah Water Ways.
How Salt Lake County is addressing mail-in voter concern for the election
With the federal legal battle over mail-in ballots still ongoing, Salt Lake County is working to make sure voters have more options come November.
Salt Lake County Clerk Lannie Chapman told FOX 13 she’s working to increase the number of vote centers and drop boxes for voters. She also plans to make every early vote location a drop box as well.
President Donald Trump has been trying to restrict some mail-in ballots. The administration appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court after a federal judge blocked his rule from being implemented.
Local and state election officials have said it would be difficult to comply with such a change with less than two months until Election Day.
