Governor Cox on Fireworks Ban and Wildfires | Salt Lake City News

Salt Lake City News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 21, 2026 · 1m

Governor Cox admits he hated banning fireworks this Fourth of July—because he loves them and the sky usually looks like a war zone—but dry conditions forced action. While small businesses suffered, firefighters breathed easier with only one minor fire reported. New rules now require city approval for private fireworks, a major shift from past practices. Utah’s worst drought in decades, paired with extreme heat, has fueled record-breaking wildfires—three of the state’s six largest ever burned in just one year. Even Governor Cox’s own farm cut back on planting due to water restrictions…