Gov. Spencer Cox and the Utah League of Cities and Towns alerting the public of the high danger fireworks.

SALT LAKE CITY – Gov. Spencer J. Cox stood side-by-side with local leaders at Utah’s Capitol to advise all Utahns to “Celebrate Safely!”

In a strong, unified message, Gov. Cox and more than 30 Utah city mayors, council members, city managers and other local leaders asked Utahns to skip using personal fireworks this year and join with neighbors in celebrating July 4th and 24th at public celebrations sponsored by Utah communities.

Please, please, please, celebrate without personal fireworks,” said Gov. Cox. “Fireworks destroy property and threaten lives and are entirely preventable. Many have said, ‘I should have just banned fireworks statewide.’ As governor, my hands are tied on that one. As I have said before, if I could issue a ban on fireworks I would but state law does not allow me to do that. So I am asking you, I am imploring each of you to do the right thing, and the right thing this year is to put your personal fireworks away.”

There have been 457 wildfires reported so far this year, burning around 58,000 acres. 80 percent of those fires have been determined to be human caused. Last year, fireworks specifically caused 65 wildfires and hundreds of smaller fires in cities and towns.

Gov. Cox said the state has been fortunate that none of the wildfires so far this year have impacted neighborhoods. The threat is still real as conditions don’t appear to be changing going forward.

“With all of those wildfires that we’ve had, because people have been more responsible this year taking this seriously, we’ve actually avoided the real big fires but we’re not even to July yet and that is why we are so nervous. We just desperately need your help.”

Last year there were 510 fires total, compared to just 180 in 2019.


will@cvradio.com



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