Environment & Outdoors

Kelly Andrew, Brigham City facilities manager, drives a boat as Kyle Brown, Brigham City wastewater...
Eric Cabrera

Danger Advisory issued for harmful algal bloom at Mantua Reservoir

The highest warning level used for toxic algae in Utah has been issued for Mantua Reservoir in Box Elder County.
8 days ago
Rain falls into a puddle in Salt Lake City on April 26. Extreme heat is forecast for Utah this week...
Carter Williams, KSL

Extreme heat is forecast for Utah this weekend, but is monsoon relief on the other side of it?

Many daily high-temperature records in Utah are in jeopardy of falling this weekend as a strong high-pressure system parks heat over the West. However, there's growing optimism that monsoonal moisture will provide relief soon after.
8 days ago
(KSL)...
Andrew Adams, KSL

Rescuers urge caution with northern Utah temperatures set to soar

Utah rescuers urge caution and call for preparedness this week ahead of a weekend warmup in which temperatures were expected to surge well above 100 degrees.
9 days ago
Smoke rises from the Snyder Fire near the Utah-Colorado border on June 28. Wildfires across both st...
Carter Williams, KSL

Where is Western drought the worst? Experts point to these places, industries

Over 70% of the 11 states that make up the American West are in drought, with over half of the region in severe, extreme or exceptional drought.
9 days ago
Fire crews battled a grass fire that started along I-80 near 5600 West on Wednesday. Two grass fire...
Joe R. Wirthlin Jr, KSL

Grass fires spark along I-80 in Salt Lake County

Multiple grass fires ignited along I-80 in Salt Lake County on Wednesday.
9 days ago
Two 12-year-old boys are being called heroes after stopping the spread of wildfire when an ATV went...
Arianne Brown, KSL

Boys’ quick thinking prevents wildfire spread at Kolob Reservoir

Two 12-year-old boys are being called heroes after stopping the spread of wildfire when an ATV went up in flames on the north side of Kolob Reservoir on July 1.
10 days ago
A firefighter works to protect a structure near the Babylon Fire in San Juan County on June 27. The...
Carter Williams, KSL

Babylon Fire becomes first Utah fire to reach 100,000-acre mark in 8 years

The Babylon Fire continues to burn in southeast Utah and is now the state's first wildfire to surpass 100,000 acres in size in nearly a decade.
11 days ago
Volunteers fill sandbags in Eureka on Monday. After being evacuated twice in one week because of tw...
Dan Rascon, KSL

Eureka residents fill sandbags to prepare for potential flooding after fires

Residents in and around Eureka are taking steps to prepare for the next potential threat after two recent wildfires: flooding.
11 days ago
A large brush fire that burned near Slate Canyon in Provo Saturday night was started by fireworks, ...
Daniel Woodruff and Kennedy Camarena, KSL

Fireworks responsible for large brush fire near Slate Canyon in Provo, fire official says

A large brush fire broke out late Saturday near Slate Canyon on Provo's east side, prompting a major response from firefighters on Independence Day.
11 days ago
A volunteer ties sandbags in Salt Lake City on April 15, 2023. Eureka officials are asking for sand...
Adam Small

Eureka hosting event to make sandbags for homeowners near burn scars

Eureka City officials are asking for any and all help making sandbags Monday night for homeowners living on the edge of the Iron and Cherry Fire burn scars.
12 days ago
The Babylon fire burns in San Juan County on Sunday. The fire has now surpassed the Cottonwood Fire...
Carter Williams, KSL

Nation’s largest active fire, the Babylon Fire, is burning in Utah

The Babylon Fire burning in southeast Utah has surpassed the Cottonwood Fire in Beaver County as the state's largest fire this season and the largest active fire burning in the U.S.
12 days ago
Custom "Last Quantum" emblem on Kaysville Fire Department's new heavy rescue engine. The Kaysville ...
Becky Bruce

Residents evacuated, allowed back home after Kaysville fire

Kaysville fire officials said residents briefly needed to be evacuated because of a new fire near East Mountain Wilderness Park, but it was quickly put under control.
14 days ago
The human-caused Middlefork Fire burns northeast of Huntsville in Weber County in June. Utah wildli...
Carter Williams, KSL

Firearm target shooting temporarily banned at WMAs in 17 Utah counties over wildfire concerns

Utah wildlife managers have paused firearm target shooting at wildlife management areas in 17 counties across the state, citing high wildfire danger.
15 days ago
Jamie Barnes, Utah Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands direc...
Heather Peterson

State forester defends Utah’s wildfire mitigation efforts amid destructive fire season

Recent wildfire victims in Utah blame the U.S. Forest Service for a lack of forest management. But the Utah State Forester said severe drought conditions meant that no amount of extra mitigation would have prevented the Utah fires.
15 days ago
Fireworks for sale at Mad Matt's Fireworks in Sandy on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. A little to the nort...
Raegan Edelman, KSL

Mayor of Clinton City faces criticism for allowing fireworks

The mayor of Clinton City, Utah, Marie Dougherty, is facing both criticism and praise after her decision not to implement a citywide ban on fireworks.
15 days ago
Upgrades are in the works around Pineview Reservoir in Weber County. The Utah Division of Wildlife ...
Carter Williams, KSL

Utah increases fishing limits at these 7 bodies of water affected by drought, construction

Utah increased fishing limits across the state ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, as water levels continue to drop from drought or will be lost to construction.
15 days ago
A camp on Beaver Mountain is pictured on Wednesday. (Photo: Mark Less, KSL)...
Alex Cabrero, KSL

Despite devastation, Cottonwood Fire leaves behind ‘islands of hope’ on Beaver Mountain

Destruction from the Cottonwood Fire is overwhelming, but scattered among the burned forest are pockets of green, places where campgrounds, cabins and trees survived.
16 days ago
View of the Iron Fire from across Utah Lake at Goose Point. Firefighters and other staff battling t...
Devin Oldroyd

Crews battling Eureka fire potentially exposed to lead, fire officials warn

Firefighters and other staff battling the Iron Fire in Juab County near Eureka may have been exposed to lead and other harmful substances while fighting the flames.
16 days ago
The Cottonwood Fire continues burning in the mountains east of Beaver on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (S...
Eric Cabrera

Why some Utah wildfires stay listed as ’cause unknown’ for weeks or months

When a wildfire breaks out, firefighters race to protect lives and stop the flames. But determining what sparked the fire is often a much longer process.
16 days ago
Pineview Reservoir will be drawn down to 1.7% capacity by mid-September, 2026, which concerns busin...
Mike Anderson, KSL

Draw down of Pineview Reservoir creates recreation, business concerns

This fall, Pineview Reservoir will be drawn down to levels not seen since the 1970s. While the significant drop won't happen for another couple of months, business owners on the lake are concerned.
17 days ago
Charred remains of houses and vehicles in Eagle Point Resort's West Village outside of Beaver, Tues...
Eva Terry, Deseret News

Utah’s wildfire season built for months before the flames arrived

With about half of the summer remaining, Utah has already experienced 390 wildfires. The majority of the burnt acreage is due to a handful of massive fires that quickly grew out of control.
17 days ago
A helicopter drops water on the Cottonwood Fire burning near Beaver, Utah, on Saturday, June 27, 20...
Eric Cabrera

Utah’s largest wildfires have already cost nearly $40 million to fight as officials warn prevention remains key

Fighting Utah's largest wildfires has already cost an estimated nearly $40 million this season, and state officials said that number will continue climbing
17 days ago
Smoke from the Babylon Fire burning in Utah's San Juan County. (Canyonlands National Park on Facebo...
Devin Oldroyd, KSL

San Juan County’s Babylon Fire burns four structures, 48,000 acres

At least four structures and 48,000 acres have burned as the Babylon Fire continues to scorch parts of Utah's San Juan County. 
17 days ago
One of the structures completely destroyed by the Cottonwood Fire burning near Beaver, Utah. (Photo...
Heather Peterson

Generations-old family ranch among the 150 structures destroyed by the Cottonwood Fire

Families who lost properties to the Cottonwood Fire in Utah are getting their first look at which structures, if any, remain.
18 days ago