Utah Gov. Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency Thursday and temporarily suspended state law to allow the state forester to restrict fireworks within municipal boundaries ahead of the Fourth of July, citing “historic” and “extraordinary” wildfire conditions across the state.
The Republican governor signed an executive order allowing the state forester to ban the discharge of fireworks within municipal boundaries between July 2 and July 5.
As America’s 250th anniversary approaches, 94% of Utah is facing severe or extreme drought.
The state has already seen 354 wildfires scorch nearly 142,000 acres this season, with more than 75% of the fires caused by humans.
The order stops short of a complete fireworks ban and instead offers local communities a path to continue holiday celebrations.
Local municipal leaders, working alongside their fire chiefs, are authorized to designate specific “safe areas” where fireworks will still be permitted. If local leaders do not designate those areas, the state forester’s restrictions remain in effect.
“Nothing about this decision was easy,” Spencer Cox wrote in a statement, acknowledging Utahns’ tradition of celebrating with fireworks. “But this year is different. We are seeing fire behavior that even our most experienced firefighters say they’ve never witnessed before.”
Utah Governor Spencer Cox on CNN. Cox has long been labeled a “RINO” by Republicans outside of Utah.
In a statement posted to X, Cox added, “Our goal is to make sure our neighborhoods and communities are still standing on July 5.”
Utah State Forester Jamie Barnes warned that prolonged drought, critically dry vegetation and extreme weather are causing wildfires to spread faster and behave in ways that “defy historical expectations.”
To reduce the risk of preventable fires, the Utah Department of Public Safety is increasing patrols in high-risk areas. Officials also warned that anyone who sparks an illegal wildfire could face significant criminal and civil penalties.
State officials said they will re-evaluate wildfire conditions after the Independence Day weekend to determine whether similar restrictions will be needed for Utah’s Pioneer Day holiday between July 22 and July 25.
