Utah News Dispatch
Hot and windy weather prompts statewide fire restrictions and a call for prayer
The France Canyon Fire burns outside of Bryce Canyon National Park on June 20, 2025. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Forest Service)
Residents of Pine Valley, where the Forsyth Fire swept through last week destroying homes, were able to return to their community on Friday — but the 10,000-plus acre fire continues to burn, and officials say locals should be prepared to evacuate again.
Meanwhile, fire danger continues to rise across Utah, prompting statewide restrictions and a call from Gov. Spencer Cox to pray for rain.
This summer is off to a fiery start, with 380 blazes across the state, 275 of them human-caused. The majority of Utah is currently in either severe or moderate drought and an estimated 43,000 acres have burned.
That includes the 10,600 acres burned by the Forsyth Fire, which as of Friday has destroyed at least 14 structures, most of them homes, in the small Pine Valley community located north of St. George. Although residents were allowed to return home on Friday, the community remains in a “Set” level evacuation order, meaning they should prepare to evacuate again if the situation worsens.
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Crews have made progress fighting the lightning-caused fire, which is now about 8% contained. But officials with the U.S. Forest Service say rising temperatures and strong winds continue to pose a threat to the area.
To that end, the governor, as he has done in past years, called for a day of prayer and fasting for rain on Sunday, June 29.
“Utah is facing a tough season, and we need both divine help and practical action,” Cox said in a statement on Friday. “I invite every Utahn, whatever your faith or belief system, to join me this Sunday in a unified fast and prayer for rain. And while we look heavenward, let’s do our part here at home — fix leaks, water lawns less and use every drop wisely. Small actions, taken together, can make a big difference for our state.”
The largest fire in the state is the France Canyon Fire, burning in Dixie National Forest outside of Bryce Canyon National Park. As of Friday, the fire was at 32,053 acres and about 15% containment.
Officials also announced statewide fire restrictions on both state and federal land — that means no fires in spaces outside of approved campgrounds or homesites with running water; no fireworks, shooting exploding targets or metalwork; no operating machinery or equipment (including motorcycles, chainsaws, ATVs, or other small internal combustion engines) without a spark arrestor; and no smoking near vegetation.
Those restrictions apply to the following regions:
- All state owned land (including state parks, trust lands and wildlife management areas)
- All unincorporated private land
- Six Bureau of Land Management districts — the Arizona Strip, Color Country, Canyon Country, Green River, Paria River and West Desert districts
- Three U.S. Forest Service regions — Dixie, Fishlake and Manti-La Sal national forests
- Eight national parks, monuments and recreation areas — Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and Canyonlands national parks; Cedar Breaks, Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments; and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
“Our forests and rangelands at all elevations are drying out quickly, making it easier for wildfires to ignite and spread — especially on windy days,” said Brett Ostler, the state fire management officer with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands.
