New wildfires burning near Salt Lake City have forced a shelter-in-place and prompted air quality warnings, as Utah contends with several blazes at once. Among the most worrying is the Bonneville Fire, which has been burning close to populated and sensitive areas on the edge of the city, adding to a stretched firefighting effort across the state.
The Bonneville Fire grew to nearly 500 acres above hospitals and the University of Utah, prompting a shelter-in-place order in the area. According to officials, that order has since been lifted, but a safety notice remains in place as crews continue to monitor the fire and the threat it poses to nearby buildings and institutions.
About an hour west of Salt Lake City, the Hastings Fire has grown to 6,000 acres. Officials warned that conditions are making the fires hard to control, noting that it does not take much for the winds to carry the flames and embers through the dry fuels that surround the area, allowing the fire to spread quickly.
With smoke drifting across the region, Utah officials are now warning residents about poor air quality. They are urging people, especially the elderly and those with any lung conditions, to stay indoors, cautioning that the smoke from the fires can pose a serious health risk to the most vulnerable members of the community.
Authorities are also encouraging residents to take practical steps to protect themselves. They are urging people to get their hands on air purifiers and air filters for their homes, and they are advising anyone who has to go outside to wear a mask in order to limit their exposure to the smoke hanging over the area.
The new fires near Salt Lake City are part of a wider outbreak of wildfires across Utah. The largest, the Iron Fire near the town of Eureka, has burned about 22,000 acres and forced evacuations after being sparked late last week. With multiple fires burning at once, crews remain stretched as officials warn that hot, dry and windy conditions could keep driving the flames.