Month: July 2026

News Team

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed an executive order today declaring a statewide state of emergency following historic wildfires and subsequent severe flash flooding across Beaver, Piute, and Sevier counties.

The declaration activates Utah’s Emergency Operations Plan, allowing the state to deploy critical resources, apply for federal hazard mitigation funds, and request interstate emergency assistance if needed. The executive order will remain in effect for 30 days unless extended by the Utah Legislature.

Burn Scars Trigger Dangerous Flash Floods

The order comes amid one of its most destructive fire seasons in recent history, with more than 590 wildfires scorching nearly 380,000 acres across the Beehive State. The massive Cottonwood Fire alone burned over 97,000 acres in Beaver and Piute counties.

While wildland crews have contained many of the fires, the remaining burn scars have left the landscape highly volatile, dramatically increasing the risk of flash flooding. Heavy monsoon rains over recent days triggered severe flash floods and debris flows across southern and central Utah, damaging homes, roads, irrigation systems and drinking water infrastructure while isolating communities and forcing evacuations.

“Wildfires don’t stop impacting communities when the flames are out,” said State Forester Jamie Barnes. “Burn scars can remain highly unstable for years, creating dangerous flooding and debris flows with even relatively small storms.”

Flooding has destroyed portions of State Route 153 in Beaver Canyon, disrupted culinary and agricultural water systems serving Beaver City, Marysvale, Junction and Circleville, and damaged homes and water infrastructure in Sevier County, including the town of Koosharem.

Since April, 18 Utah counties have declared local emergencies related to the compounding crises of wildfire, drought, and flooding.

“Utahns have endured an incredibly difficult wildfire season, and now many of these same communities are facing life-threatening flooding caused by those fires,” said Gov. Cox. “This declaration ensures we can continue providing every available resource to help local communities respond, recover and prepare for the continued flood risks that remain throughout the summer. We are grateful to the firefighters, emergency managers, law enforcement officers, public works crews and countless others working around the clock to keep Utahns safe.”

Tragedy in Wayne County: Fire Captain and Family Lost in Flash Flood

The Long Family: GoFundMe

The Governor also acknowledged the heartbreaking loss of Provo Fire Captain Spencer Long, his wife Katrina, and three of their children, who were tragically swept away by flash flooding in Wayne County last week.

“Our hearts are with everyone grieving this heartbreaking loss,” Gov. Cox said. “It’s a painful reminder that flooding can become deadly in moments, particularly in and below burn scar areas. We urge every Utahn to heed warnings, avoid flooded areas, and never underestimate the power of moving water.”

As of publishing, a GoFundMe created to support the Long’s surviving daughter, Lydia, has raised over $200K. For more information, click HERE.

Looking Ahead: Ongoing Flood Risks

State officials warn that the threat of flash flooding will remain elevated throughout the remainder of the monsoon season.

“Our emergency managers, first responders, and local officials have been working tirelessly to protect lives and restore essential services under extremely challenging conditions,” said Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason. “This declaration strengthens our ability to coordinate resources across all levels of government and ensures affected communities receive the support they need as response efforts continue.”

Residents in flood-prone areas are urged to closely monitor local weather forecasts, strictly heed evacuation orders, and avoid traveling through flooded roadways or drainages.

Editor’s Note: AI tools were utilized in the initial research and structural development of this article. All content is thoroughly reviewed and verified for accuracy by the Local News 8 editorial team.

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Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Gateway Transitional Care Center has been an essential healthcare facility in Pocatello, serving inpatients in rehab for injuries, surgeries, accidents and illnesses. June 22 marked the opening of a double-facility expansion to offer outpatient therapies and vent/trach care for respiratory patients.

The newly remodeled vent/trach unit is the only of its kind in Southeast Idaho, which CEO Gavin Monteath said was essential post-Covid.

“This project had a lot of different phases, it was a private hospital wing and then an Alzheimer’s and dementia unit,” Monteath said. “We had architectural plans for both, it got shifted to a vent/trach unit where we’re able to take patients with mechanical breathing needs, which has been a big need in the community since Covid hit.”

From Boise to Salt Lake City, Gateway is the only facility with state-of-the-art vent and trach equipment for respiratory care. During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Monteath said they even considered turning the bottom floors of the building into a daycare for nurses’ children. After such a long process to make use of the space, the team at Gateway was excited to open it to the community for tours.

“We’ve had failures, we’ve had successes, and now the entire community is behind us so we can open up this unit,” Monteath said. “It means more than a lot of things to a lot of people.”

The facilities are also located on Memorial Drive adjacent to the Idaho State University Campus, providing internship and learning opportunities to students entering the medical field.

Physical Therapy Outpatient Clinic at Gateway, July 22

“They get a firsthand look at what it’s like to take care of patients that have a high acuity need and high clinical need,” Monteath said. “The experience they get here at Gateway is far beyond anything they’re going to get anywhere else in the community.”

With the opening of their brand new 10,000-square-foot Outpatient Therapy Clinic, Director of Rehab Gina Marsh said they’ll be able to service not only more community members, but more students in various theraputic fields.

“We have ISU students for occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and now with our trach unit we’ll also have respiratory therapy,” Marsh said. “We’re hoping to invite students to come in to get experience with that as well, and we have our nursing and CNA students.”

ISU students make up a portion of the now over 200-person staff, which Monteath said they’ve been working towards for several months. They are happy to announce they’re fully staffed to provide quality care in the new facilities.

Inpatient Stay Room at Gateway, July 22

Previously, Gateway held inpatients for short periods of time while they were in rehab. Now, community members can come to the brand new therapy offices and physical therapy gym area for an appointment and head home afterwards.

“It’ll operate as a full function outpatient clinic,” Marsh explained. “That’s really exciting because we have all the disciplines with occupational, physical and speech therapy all under one roof.”

These two expansions to the facility have been a long time coming for the management at Gateway. Monteath explained to the community who showed up for the grand opening on July 22 that it took a team of architects, engineers, advisors and nurse management staff to make the project come to life. They now have 102 beds total in the facility.

“People are in the worst situations of their lives when they come to us,” Marsh said. “They’re really struggling because they used to be completely independent just like everybody else, and all the sudden they’re needing help with all of their basic cares. To see that journey of them returning to who they want to be and the lives they want to live is really rewarding.”

Monteath said their goal remains to improve the quality of life of their patients, whether long-term at Gateway or for a return home. Esteemed author and quadraplegic Chad Hymas, known for breaking the world record of miles pushed in a wheelchair, attending this morning’s grand opening and emphasized that lives will be changed in these facilities.

Chad Hymas speaking to the community at Gateway ribbon cutting celebration, July 22

“I hold this place just as sacred as a religious center,” Hymas said. “Because people’s lives, that’s where my life was transformed.”

Hymas continued to say he’s toured other facilities for outpatient therapy and vent/trach care, saying Gateway exceeds expectations for equipment and inpatient stay areas.

Monteath said they’ll begin putting patients in the unit after the first of August.

“I want the people of Pocatello to understand that we love and support them just as much as they love and support us,” Monteath said. “They have faith in us to care for their loved ones and that means more to me and my team than anything else they can say or do.”

Gateway Transitional Care Center Staff at July 22 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

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