Environment & Outdoors

Work is performed on servers at Meta’s Eagle Mountain Data Center in Eagle Mountain on Friday, Se...
Eric Cabrera

Data centers could initially lower some Utah property taxes – then create a ‘boomerang effect’

A new analysis shows that a multibillion-dollar data center moving into a Utah community could initially lower property taxes for existing property owners. But that relief may not last.
1 hour ago
A Sikorsky Skycrane lifts after refilling as crews fight the Widemouth 2 Fire east of Fillmore on A...
Carter Williams, KSL

Firefighter pilot killed in Utah crash remembered for ‘a life of service and selflessness’

One of two pilots killed in a helicopter crash on Friday while battling a massive wildfire in central Utah was a California resident who traveled across the country for the job.
4 hours ago
People cool off in a fountain at the Georgetown Waterfront Park on July 02, 2026 in Washington, DC....
Seth Borenstein, AP Science Writer

Contiguous US breaks its record for hottest month ever, NOAA says

The contiguous United States set a record for its hottest month ever in July, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
6 hours ago
The Widemouth 2 Fire east of Fillmore on Tuesday. Responders who worked to find the bodies of the t...
Ashley Imlay, KSL

Treacherous conditions complicated effort to recover 2 firefighters killed in Utah helicopter crash

Two pilots were on board a Sikorsky S-64 helicopter when it crashed Friday morning near the Widemouth 2 Fire. Crews worked into the next day to find the bodies.
6 hours ago
A wildfire triggered evacuations on Sunday in Morgan County. (Photo: Utah Fire Info)...
Kennedy Camarena, KSL

Evacuations ordered in Morgan, Summit counties; Rocky Canyon Fire grows to 13,000 acres

Residents in parts of Morgan and Summit counties were dealing with evacuations on Sunday due to the growing Rocky Canyon Fire nearby.
7 hours ago
A Sikorsky Skycrane approaches to refill as crews fight the Widemouth 2 Fire east of Fillmore, Utah...
Becky Bruce

Pilot, crewmember killed in helicopter crash while fighting Widemouth 2 fire

National fire officials said the pilot and crew member died as a result of the helicopter crash near Richfield Friday.
2 days ago
Weber County leaders are interested in the potential of nuclear power and hosted a symposium on the...
Tim Vandenack, KSL

Weber County leaders interested in nuclear power potential, host symposium on topic

Weber County officials hosted a symposium on nuclear energy as a means of gauging its potential fit locally. No specific projects are in the works in Weber County, however.
2 days ago
A helicopter carrying two people crashed near a massive wildfire burning in central Utah on Friday,...
Carter Williams, KSL

Helicopter with 2 on board crashes near Widemouth 2 Fire

A helicopter carrying two people crashed near a massive wildfire burning in central Utah on Friday, federal aviation officials confirmed.
3 days ago
Smoke rises from a fire along Interstate 84 in Riverdale on Thursday. At one point, flames were vis...
Joe R. Wirthlin Jr, KSL

Video shows fire threatening building in Riverdale along I-84

A fire near Riverdale closed a portion of I-84 on Thursday and threatened a building near the interstate, with flames intermittently visible on traffic cameras.
4 days ago
Tourists are seen in Piazza Duomo on June 29, 2026 in Milan, Italy. Italy has placed all major citi...
Giada Zampano, Kristen Grieshaber and Justin Spike, Associated Press

Europe heat wave puts all major Italian cities on red alert as Austria sets heat record

Italy has placed all major cities under the highest heat alert as Europe faces a severe heat wave.
4 days ago
Remnants of a U.S. Forest Service sign just off the road in Beaver Canyon are pictured on July 24. ...
Carter Williams, KSL

Utah, feds launch $18M recovery effort in Beaver area; Widemouth 2 Fire grows

The U.S. Forest Service announced it is committing $9.2 million to recovery efforts following the Cottonwood Fire, which burned over 97,400 acres in and around Fishlake National Forest
4 days ago
Burnt vegetation is pictured near Parley's Historic Trail on Tuesday. (Photo: Nathaniel Gillis, KSL...
Annette Campbell, KSL

Fire leaves scorched hillsides along Parley’s Historic Trail, officials urge caution

A fire near Parley's Historic Trail left visible damage along one of Salt Lake City's popular outdoor recreation areas, with hikers reporting scorched hillsides and ash-covered ground.
5 days ago
Smoke plumes up from the Widemouth 2 Fire on Wednesday. (U.S. Forest Service)...
Joe R. Wirthlin Jr, KSL

Residents near Widemouth 2 Fire can return home, urged to be prepared to evacuate again

Evacuations were lifted Wednesday for most residents near the Widemouth 2 Fire burning in Millard County, but officials warned them to be ready to evacuate again if needed.
5 days ago
A Uinta National Forest sign is pictured above the site of the proposed Vesper Amphitheater in Prov...
Cami Mondeaux, Deseret News

Wildfire prevention emerges as a rare bipartisan priority in Congress

With wildfire raging across the West, blind to the political affiliations of those who are affected, lawmakers in Congress from both sides of the aisle are racing to find a solution.
5 days ago
O'Leary Digital and Box Elder County officials seek dismissal of the lawsuit filed by foes of a pro...
Tim Vandenack, KSL

O’Leary Digital, Box Elder County press court to dismiss data center foes’ lawsuit

O'Leary Digital and Box Elder County seek dismissal of the lawsuit filed against them by a coalition of Box Elder County residents pressing for a public vote on the O'Leary data center project.
5 days ago
Residents in Utah's Sevier County expressed concerns about smoke and the approaching Widemouth 2 Fi...
Andrew Adams, KSL

Sevier County residents watch skies, hillside as Widemouth 2 Fire approaches

Residents expressed concerns about smoke and the approaching Widemouth 2 Fire on Tuesday as crews said the massive wildfire had expanded to more than 79,000 acres.
5 days ago
The Horseshoe solar farm that is owned by Desri and operated by Solv Energy in Tooele County on Mon...
Emily Walker, Deseret News

Renewable energy is growing in Utah, but not without obstacles

While touring the Solv Energy solar site in Tooele County recently, Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, described the competing realities of renewable energy: the American public's desire for it, and the lack of support in Congress.
6 days ago
Smoke from wildfires is blanketing Utah, causing air quality concerns statewide. Health officials u...
Debbie Worthen, KSL

Smoke blankets Utah, prompting air quality concerns across the state

Smoke from wildfires is creating potentially dangerous air quality conditions across Utah. It's prompting health officials to urge residents to take precautions.
6 days ago
Snowboarders are pictured at Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon on Jan. 9. Meteorologists are loo...
Dennis Romboy, Deseret News

‘Super El Niño’ is coming. What does that mean for Utah ski resorts?

Weather forecasters are looking ahead as the odds of a strong to historic El Niño are growing. Some are already dubbing it a "Super El Niño."
6 days ago
UDOT cameras caught images of the Millcreek Fire in Salt Lake City on Monday. (UDOT)...
Devin Oldroyd and Shelby Lofton, KSL

Large brush fire sparks in Millcreek nature preserve

Fire crews responded to a large brush fire in Millcreek on I-80 near the mouth of Parleys Canyon on Monday evening.
7 days ago
Image of the Widemouth 2 fire burning in Fishlake National Forest in Millard County, not far from F...
Adam Small

2026 lining up to be one of the worst years for wildfire damage in Utah

The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands said 2026 has become the second-worst year for wildfire damage in Utah history.
7 days ago
A small boat lies in the dry mud on the Danube's riverbed on July 31, 2026 in Dunaszentbenedek, Hun...
Justin Spike, Associated Press

Record low Danube levels push some countries in Eastern Europe to the brink of energy emergency

Governments across Central and Eastern Europe are taking steps to conserve electricity as levels on the Danube River force power plants to the brink of shutting down.
7 days ago
The Stansbury Mountains are reflected in a patch of water along the Great Salt Lake. The grouping o...
Heather May | Great Salt Lake Collaborative

What do you want to know about the Great Salt Lake?

The members of the Great Salt Lake Collaborative are hoping you can tell us what types of stories you'd like us to cover in the future.
7 days ago
Crews battle the Widemouth 2 Fire near Fillmore, Utah, on Sunday. The fire has now grown to over 68...
Carter Williams, KSL

Widemouth 2 Fire spikes to 68,000 acres; additional wildfire smoke arrives in Utah

New evacuations are being ordered in central Utah, as the Black Canyon wildfire could move toward a subdivision.
7 days ago