Utah Declares Emergency and Bans Fireworks Amid Growing Largest US Wildfire
Utah declared a state of emergency and restricted fireworks ahead of July Fourth due to the Cottonwood Fire, the largest active wildfire in the US. The fire, fueled by dry, windy conditions and strong gusts up to 72 km/h, has burned over 70,000 acres, damaged the Eagle Point ski resort, and forced mandatory evacuations. The National Weather Service issued a rare "Particularly Dangerous Situation" warning as crews battle multiple wildfires amid extreme fire risk across the western US. Smoke has affected air quality in some areas but not major national parks.