State is in its worst drought in decades
A helicopter makes a drop on the East Canyon Fire as it burns north of East Canyon State Park, on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, near Morgan, Utah. (Chris Samuels/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Several wildfires were burning Wednesday in Utah amid hot, dry and windy conditions and with most of the state mired in extreme drought.
The largest blaze is one that started Tuesday in central Utah near the town of Price that was about 5.4 square miles (14 square kilometers) as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Utah fire information website run by state and federal agencies.
A fire in northern Utah near East Canyon State Park had grown to about 1.3 square miles (3.4 square kilometers) and forced the evacuation of two families. It was started Tuesday morning when a track hoe hit a rock, officials said.
Hot and windy conditions were forecast for much of the state Wednesday.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Tuesday this is the state’s worst drought in decades and announced the state had issued a fireworks bans for all state lands and unincorporated private lands to reduce the risk of wildfires.
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