Utah Fireworks Row: Lawmaker with a Pyro Business Urges Defiance of July Restrictions

A Utah GOP lawmaker who co-owns a fireworks business urged residents to defy Gov. Spencer Cox’s temporary July Fourth fireworks restrictions, arguing the governor lacks authority to ban fireworks. Cox’s order gives the state forester temporary power to prohibit fireworks July 2-5, while localities decide where they’re allowed. Penalties for violations can include fines up to $1,000 and potential arson charges if wildfires result. The Legislature had previously limited such prohibitions, but Cox’s order suspends that rule for 30 days. Utah faces a severe wildfire season, with hundreds of thousands of acres burned already.