Temporary statewide restrictions on fireworks are now in place until after the Fourth of July.
Gov. Spencer Cox made the emergency declaration as Utah faces an extremely active wildfire season, where nearly 150,000 acres have been burned. Critical fire weather and smoke have blanketed the state, and the Cottonwood Fire, burning east of Beaver, could set costly records for destruction.
“So, if on July 3, fourth, or fifth we have multiple starts in this valley, we're screwed,” the governor said at Popperton Park in Salt Lake City, just a stone's throw from the Bonneville Fire burn scar. “OK, that's it. Nobody to respond.”
“This is, this is not just big government, this is like life or death stuff.”
The nearly contained Bonneville Fire is the second fire Salt Lake City has seen in the grasslands that line the east side of town. The Cottonwood Fire has destroyed the Eagle Point ski resort. And the roughly 700 residents of Eureka are only now returning home after evacuations that had been in place since June 20.
Typically, fireworks are legal to purchase and use between June 24 and July 25.
The executive order enables the state forester to prohibit fireworks statewide. That’s Jamie Barnes, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands director.
“This year it's different,” Barnes said. “We are seeing things that we have never seen before. It's historical times.”
Unprecedented dry conditions following Utah’s historically bad winter have made this season especially dangerous.
“When people who have dedicated their lives to protecting Utah tell us this year is different, we desperately need to listen,” Cox said.
Responding to calls to curtail fireworks, cities and towns have outlined their plans but noted their limited options. The governor himself initially said that he lacked the authority for a ban. According to Cox, the state of emergency order suspends a statute, which then gives the state forester the authority to limit fireworks statewide. Even though fireworks may be banned statewide, cities and towns can still designate areas where fireworks may still be used safely.
The order ends July 5.
But Utah has another big holiday after that. Officials will evaluate wildfire conditions before the July 24 Pioneer Day.
Final language on the restrictions is expected to be released on June 26.
