A video showing smoky skies and falling ash in Utah County is striking a nerve online after a content creator captured what she described as a "very unsettling" day outside.
What happened?
The clip was shared on TikTok by Cassi (@cassismiles), who filmed the scene.
With the camera aimed at a smoke-filled sky and a bright red sun, a voice asks, "Are you one of those girls that take pictures of the sky?" The creator replies, "Haha yes, every chance I get."
@cassismiles Very unsettling outside today 😵💫 #utahcounty #utahfire #wildfire #wildfiresmoke #ashes ♬ original sound - Nikki 🌻
"The amount of ash raining on us in Utah County is a joke," text superimposed over the video reads. "Makes everything an eerie color that's unsettling." Follow-up superimposed text pleads for more rain.
Why does it matter?
The wildfire has been ravaging Utah since it first broke out last week.
Wildfire smoke is more than a dramatic visual. It can carry tiny particles that make the air unhealthy to breathe, especially for children, older adults, outdoor workers, and people with asthma or heart or lung conditions.
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Even when flames are not visible nearby, smoke and ash can disrupt daily life by limiting time outdoors, reducing visibility, and coating homes, cars, and neighborhoods with debris.
Worsening extreme weather disasters endanger lives and livelihoods in ways that reach far beyond the immediate disaster zone. Smoke events can trigger health emergencies, force schools and community activities indoors, threaten road safety, and hurt local economies when businesses lose customers and workers lose hours.
As hotter, drier conditions help fuel more destructive fires in many areas, scenes like this can become a costly public health problem and a threat to community stability.
What are people saying?
Commenters appeared both shocked and discouraged by the footage.
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"I can't ever remember seeing our skies looking like this before," one wrote.
"It reminds me of California but it also reminds me of cyberpunk," another added.
"PSA: fireworks are banned next week. Protect Utah. Stay safe," said one more.
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