Dangerous weather hampers firefighters and leads to fireworks bans in western U.S.
Summary
Hot, dry, and windy weather is causing a large wildfire in Utah to spread quickly. The governor declared an emergency and banned fireworks to prevent new fires as firefighters struggle to control the Cottonwood Fire, which has destroyed property and forced evacuations.Key Facts
- The Cottonwood Fire in southern Utah has grown to over 112 square miles.
- High winds up to 45 mph and very low humidity are making firefighting difficult.
- Firefighters' air support like helicopters and air tankers are grounded due to the wind.
- The fire damaged Eagle Point ski resort and caused evacuations in nearby areas.
- Smoke from the fire caused heavy haze and ash rainfall, especially in Marysvale.
- Red flag warnings for extreme fire risk cover much of the western U.S., including Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.
- Power companies prepared for safety outages to reduce fire risks, including near the Grand Canyon.
- Nearly 3 million acres have burned in the U.S. this year, above the 10-year average.
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