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SALT LAKE CITY — Heavy August storms rolled through Utah Wednesday but left behind something a little puzzling: smoke.
Those hoping to finally see clear skies may have to wait a little longer. The front that brought the rain to the Beehive State also brought smoke from California and Oregon, according to a Facebook post from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality.
As the smoke plume settled, the air quality in most areas throughout the state remained moderate, but Tooele, Herriman, Rose Park and Weber County moved into the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" range. The department urged those with lung conditions to stay inside.
Soon after, most areas along the Wasatch Front also moved into the unhealthy range. The air quality in several areas is now currently worse than it is in Beijing, China, according to KSL's air quality map.
Meanwhile, Utah emergency crews continue to fight blazes across the state, including the Coal Hollow Fire in Utah County.
Wednesday's coverage:
Wildfire updates: More Coal Hollow Fire evacuations lifted; new fire reported in Juab County
The Coal Hollow Fire burning in southeast Utah County is now more than half contained after more rain poured over the fire overnight, according to a new update by crews battling the fire.The following is a comprehensive map of wildfires in Utah for 2018. Zoom in to see the 10 largest fire areas, and click on any of the icons for more information.
#Fires_map
Watch here for live updates on all the fires across Utah.
Coal Hollow Fire in Utah County burns nearly 30K acres
