A brush fire that broke out in the foothills above Slate Canyon late Saturday night was reported as mostly contained by 12:30 a.m. Sunday, July 5, according to reports from KSL TV. The Provo Police Department responded to the scene and urged local residents to maintain distance from the area and refrain from operating drones, which can impede emergency aerial firefighting efforts.
While the official cause of the blaze remains under investigation, social media footage captured by Salt Lake Tribune videographer Trevor Christensen showed fireworks exploding in the vicinity of the burning hillside shortly before midnight. This incident follows a series of wildfire events across Utah, including a fire in Kaysville triggered by children playing with fireworks and the Mineral Gulch Fire in Kane County, which grew to an estimated 50 acres on Saturday.
In response to the heightened fire danger, Brigham Young University had previously closed the Y Mountain Trail and its associated trailhead parking lot through July 5. Utah Governor Spencer Cox has implemented a statewide ban on personal fireworks, citing the extreme risk posed by dry conditions. Authorities continue to monitor high-risk areas as the state remains under a heightened alert for wildfire activity during the holiday weekend.