The biggest story in Utah right now is fire, and it’s changing how all of us should think about summer. We break down the latest on the Cottonwood Fire near Beaver, now stretching across an area that puts it in the conversation with the most significant wildfires in Utah history. You’ll hear the real-world impacts, from closures and evacuations to the early estimate of structures lost, plus why officials say this wasn’t a surprise after an exceptionally dry winter and low snowpack.

We also get into a moment that should be a statewide public service announcement: a private drone flight over the fire area reportedly forced crews to ground helicopters. That’s not a minor inconvenience, it’s a safety issue that can cost property and lives. If you’re planning weekend trips, we talk about what to avoid, how to stay flexible with smoke and changing conditions, and why backyard fireworks are a bad bet this year.

Then we shift gears to sports and momentum. Utah Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong makes a move that signals the rebuild is over by acquiring Vincent Trocheck, a proven two-way center with face-off strength, penalty-kill value, and championship-level experience. We dig into what it means for the roster, the young core, and why expectations should rise heading into the October opener.

Finally, we share a surprisingly moving engineering update from Temple Square: the Salt Lake Temple’s seismic base isolation system is complete, letting the building move during a major earthquake while reducing damage from ground shaking. We wrap with a quick July Fourth weekend guide, World Cup watch party vibes across the valley, and a preview of our upcoming conversation with Natural History Museum of Utah executive director Jason Cryon. If this helps you, subscribe, share the show, and leave a review so more people around Salt Lake City can find it.

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