Utah News

Last year over 1 million people visited Arches National Park, putting unprecedented strain on parking lots and 18 miles of park roads. At some spots, long lines of RVs blocked a good part of the scenery. But the Park Service is adamant that, unlike Zion or Bryce Canyon National Parks, traffic at Arches should not be restricted.

The plan just unveiled calls instead for a free bus system to compete with private cars.

The Quail Fire that burned over 1700 acres of Washington County near Leeds was fully contained Monday after burning throughout the weekend. The fire was human caused and started on Saturday afternoon.

Residents of the 60 homes evacuated have been allowed to return, I-15 flows uninterrupted again in both directions, and power has been reestablished to the 600 homes affected at the height of the crisis over the weekend.

Friday night, Westlake High school in Saratoga Springs became a refuge for thousands of residents forced to evacuate their homes. 24 hours later that evacuation order was lifted; and so were the spirits of everyone around.

Transportation officials have finished installing a barrier along a Logan Canyon curve where several vehicles have slid off the road and plunged into the river below. It's the first step in the Utah Department of Transportation's plan to reduce the number of accidents on this particular curve.

The "Dump Fire" that started this week near Saratoga Springs was only 20% contained before today's high temperatures and winds forced more than 2,000 homes to be evacuated in Saratoga Springs and nearby Eagle Mountain.

Early on Friday, FEMA authorized funds through a Fire Management Assistance Grant to help fight the fire.

IMPORTANT EVACUATION INFORMATION

• An evacuation center has been set up at Westlake High School, 99 North Thunder Blvd., Saratoga Springs
• Eagle Mountain residents should call 801-789-6000 for emergency info
• Saratoga Springs residents should call 801-766-6503 for emergency info
• For pet evacuation assistance call Steve Weber at Cedar Pass Ranch: 801-735-6646
  

While Dan Lilenquist tries to unseat incumbent Senator Orrin Hatch for the Republican nod in this November’s senate election, the Utah Democratic Party has already picked their nominee. Scott Howell responds to the June 15 debate between the Republican candidates on the Doug Wright Show as well as addresses his "3 E's" -- Education, Economy, Energy -- with UPR's Mackinzie Hamilton.