Red state gov bans July Fourth fireworks statewide over wildfire concerns ahead of America's 250th anniversary

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on FoxNews.com. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Thursday issued a temporary, statewide restriction on fireworks for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, citing "historic" and "extraordinary" wildfire conditions across the state. Cox, a Republican, signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency, temporarily suspending state law to allow the state forester to ban the discharge of fireworks within municipal boundaries between July 2 and July 5. As America’s 250th anniversary approaches, 94% of Utah is facing severe or extreme drought. Gov. Spencer Cox said the order gives local leaders, working with their fire chiefs, the flexibility to identify where fireworks can still be used safely. (@GovCox/X) RESIDENTS WAKE UP SCREAMING AS COPS RACE TO RESCUE THEM FROM LATE-NIGHT APARTMENT BLAZE: