Utah’s Lt Governor heads to Moab after fire burns 8 homes
Jun 13, 2018, 10:17 AM
MOAB, Utah — Utah’s Lt. Governor is making a stop in Moab Wednesday to meet with the families who lost their homes in a fast moving wildfire.
“Try to figure out what happened, and how we can move on from here. It’s just devastating, how this fire moved so quickly,” Spencer Cox told Utah’s Morning News on KSL Newsradio.
Cox says they have emergency preparedness teams in Moab making sure those who lost their homes have a place to stay, and looking to see what else can be done to help them pick up the pieces.
Crews are still determining the fire’s cause. They’ll boost fire restrictions after this.
It is just one of four major fires in Utah, and the fire danger is growing.
FIRE CONCERNS on the rise today with a new RED FLAG WARNING that goes into effect this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/usY7UqCIkc
— Grant Weyman (@KSLweyman) June 13, 2018
“I fear this is the beginning of a very long summer. I hope I am wrong, but if you look at the drought map right now, things don’t look good. Especially in central and south-eastern Utah, where things are the worst right now,” said Cox.
(One week ago)
Me: Seeing smoke coming from Emery County.Feds: Don’t worry it’s a prescribed burn.
Me: Seems like a terrible idea with 90 degree temps and 0% precip in forecast.
Feds: It’s fine.
(3 days later)
Feds: Um…fire escaped containment last night.
Me: 🤬🤬🤬 https://t.co/SKed40E6O1
— Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) June 11, 2018
The Trail Mountain Fire in Emery County grew to almost 65-hundred acres and is impacting the springs that provide water for the area. At last check it’s still only 10 percent contained. The Willow Creek Fire and Strawberry River Fire are burning in two different counties on either side of Strawberry Reservoir and have closed a couple of roads.