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Big and Little Cottonwood canyons are both wildly popular and stunningly beautiful.

But they come with inherent danger — with limited ways to get out of the canyon. At Big Cottonwood Canyon, Guardsman Pass is open during the summer, but in Little Cottonwood Canyon there is only one way in and one way out, which presents a recipe for devastating consequences should a fire erupt, Amy Joi O'Donoghue reported.

A team of forestry experts is surveying areas in Big Cottonwood Canyon to assess wildfire risk. It's extra important to do this now that a new agreement will allow for more recreationists to explore the canyon, especially in the Cardiff Canyon area.

Big and Little Cottonwood canyons receive an estimated 3.2 million visitors a year in an area that spans 80,000 acres — that's more than the amount of visitors that go through Arches and some other national parks in the state.

“I’ve never worked in a state with the wildfire risk like Utah. So it has never been a huge part of what I did day to day,” said Doug Campbell, forestry operation manager for the state Division of Forestry. “So here, you know, there’s so little water and we are in this real arid part of the world and fire season seems to be almost 365 days.”

Church of Jesus Christ sees record growth in global membership

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported July 9 that, as of the end of June, it has recorded the highest number of convert baptisms in any 12-month period throughout its 195-year history, Amy Ortiz reported.

The news comes on the heels of Church President Russell M. Nelson's declaration and promise that "the best is yet to come."

“My dear brothers and sisters, do you see what is happening right before our eyes?” asked President Nelson during the church’s October 2024 general conference. “I pray that we will not miss the majesty of this moment. The Lord is indeed hastening his work.”

Here are three key points:

Read more about the church's record growth.

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Utah

Wildfire near La Sal in San Juan County burning 4K acres, prompts evacuations (KSL.com)

The France Canyon Fire threatened the state fish. So Utah rode to the rescue (KUER 90.1)

The greater the odds, the greater the opportunity (Utah Business)

Cedar City leaders, residents join South Korean counterparts in remembering Battle of Gapyeong (St George News)

Miss Rodeo Utah Pageant to celebrate 70 years during Ogden Pioneer Days Rodeo (Standard-Examiner)

Spellbound Books brings big stories to a small space in Eagle Mountain (Daily Herald)

The power of USU's nursing program is growing (Cache Valley Daily)

Utah Highway Patrol urges safety after multiple deadly crashes (KSL-TV)

Rocky Mountain Power to appeal rate-hike denial case in Utah (Deseret News)

4 homes, 5 other structures destroyed by fast-growing fire in southeast Utah (KSL.com)

Health

Does air pollution raise the risk of brain bleeds over time? University of Utah study (Deseret News)
The link between oral health and overall well-being (Healthline)

Faith

Church of Jesus Christ sees record growth in global membership (Deseret News)

How missionaries worldwide are making a difference through community and humanitarian service (Church News)

Politics

Trump heads to Texas after floods, future of FEMA up in the air (Deseret News)

Will Democrats help the GOP keep the government open this fall? (Deseret News)

Stocks down following Trump’s announcement of new 35% Canadian tariff (Deseret News)

Is Superman an immigrant? How the Man of Steel became political (Deseret News)

The Nation and the World

Preliminary report says fuel switches were cut off before Air India Boeing 787 crash (NPR)

US has resumed military supplies to Ukraine, Zelensky says (BBC)

Texas flooding live updates: Death toll at 128 as search continues for the missing (ABC News)

Sports

Jake Retzlaff officially announces his departure from BYU (Deseret News)

NFL writer lists this former BYU star as a better draft pick than Patrick Mahomes (Deseret News)

How twins Laveni and Daviana Vaka went from BYU to the same pro team (Deseret News)

Jet-setting AJ Dybantsa ‘pitches’ BYU wherever he goes — even Fenway (Deseret News)

Real Salt Lake is one of the lowest-paid teams in the MLS (Axios)

Entertainment

Local chef wins national competition with her family there to watch (Deseret News)

Film enthusiast creates Orem Film Festival to highlight local artists (KSL.com)

Strings on the Slopes slides in to open Concerts on the Slopes (The Park Record)

Veteran actor makes history as first African American Scarecrow in Tuacahn’s 'Wizard of Oz' (St George News)

Paul McCartney isn’t done yet: The 83-year-old announces North America ‘Got Back’ tour (Deseret News)