Photo By Tobias Alt
In Utah, a wildfire started causing massive destruction of land, especially with the dryness there. It originated on June 17, when the fire initially blazed 1,000 acres.
Fox News reports, “The blaze, which began on June 17 initially burned around 1,000 acres but has since grown to 49,000 acres according to Utah fire and emergency officials.”
The Blaze is in the Brian Head, a popular ski town. Republicans are blaming environmentalists for the fire, saying it could had been prevented if loggers could cut down trees.
The Weather Channel states, “Utah state Rep. Mike Noel said Tuesday he wants to use the fire near the ski town of Brian Head and a popular fishing lake to highlight the imbalance of power afforded environmental groups under previous presidents and to ease bureaucratic and legal blockades for logging companies. He believes the Trump administration will provide a more receptive audience for his plea.”
For those who thought the fire couldn’t get any worse, there were heavy winds starting on June 27 blowing the fire north.
Newsweek explains, “Making matters worse, low humidity and strong winds were expected to arrive in Utah on Tuesday, causing worries that the fire could spread further north. State emergency officials told the AP on Monday the weather conditions have ‘high potential’ for creating even more ‘extreme’ fire behavior.”
Firefighters in Utah are seeking to spread awareness of the impact of human-caused fires, especially since 91 percent of wildfires are caused by humans.
Fox News reports, “Utah fire officials have since announced an effort with interagency partners to help spread awareness on the impact human-caused fires can have. In a press release, the Wildland Fire Prevention and Education team says, ‘preliminary statistics to date for wildfire occurrence in Utah indicate human activities are responsible for approximately 91 percent of wildfires in 2017 which have burned approximately 73,000 acres.’”
The fire was started by someone trying to torch weeds near Brian Head. Officials thought they knew who started the fire, but they had not released anything as of Tuesday.
Per NewsWeek, “The wildfire was initially started by someone use a torch to burn weeds near the popular ski resort. Officials told the AP they had a suspect in mind, but no information on the person’s identity or potential charges had been released as of Tuesday afternoon.”
Plant for the Gospel seeks to share Christ’s hope with the people of Utah.
Plant for the Gospel explains, “Of the 2.6 million people in Utah, over 2 million live within one hour of downtown Salt Lake City. The Salt Lake City region has the youngest population in the U.S., the highest birthrate in the U.S., the most educated adult workforce, and the lowest number of gospel preaching churches per person of any state in the country.” Pray for the fire in Utah to be contained and that many in Utah would come to know Christ’s hope through Plant for the Gospel.
Fox News: Utah wildfire: Country’s largest active fire grows in size
NewsWeek: Biggest Blaze in the U.S.: Utah Battling Nation’s Largest Active Wildfire
The Weather Channel: Utah’s Brian Head Fire Caused by Lack of Logging, State Lawmaker Says
Plant for the Gospel: The Need – Salt Lake City
