Happy Monday Eagle Mountain. Colten here.

I’ve been in St. George since last Wednesday with my family, and boy oh boy it’s HOT. We’ve had a great time, but we’re itching to get back home, especially because our dog is waiting for us and I’m genuinely concerned about the Iron Fire.

Here’s what’s going on this week.

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Tuesday, June 23 is the Regular Primary Election. If you plan to vote by mail, your ballot must be physically in the hands of the Utah County Clerk by 8 PM tomorrow. A postmark is not enough.

If you haven't mailed yours yet, there are two options:

Full voting information can be found here.

A large wildfire in Juab County, called the Iron Fire, ignited late Friday night near Eureka and grew to nearly 22,000 acres by Sunday afternoon at 0% containment. As of Sunday evening, the entire town of Eureka remained under mandatory evacuation. Firefighters protected homes overnight and no primary structures had been lost as of Sunday morning, but the situation remained active and fluid. Smoke from the Iron Fire and other fires burning across the state has created hazy conditions across the Wasatch Front. Before spending time outdoors, check current air quality. For live fire updates, visit Utah Fire Info.

This is shaping up to be a serious fire season statewide. Utah's warmest winter on record left snowpack at historic lows, and vegetation dried out roughly a month earlier than normal. Stage 1 fire restrictions are already in effect in Utah County on land outside city limits. Eagle Mountain sits in what emergency planners call a wildland-urban interface (WUI) zone, meaning parts of the city border open wildland directly. That matters when conditions like these are in place.

Two things worth doing now, before any emergency: sign up for Eagle Mountain's Everbridge emergency alert system so you receive notifications by phone, text, or email if something develops. And take a few minutes to know your evacuation zone and routes before you need them. City guidance also recommends keeping a basic go-kit on hand during fire season: medications, water, important documents, N95 masks, a phone charger, and pet supplies. One practical tip: keep your gas tank in your vehicle at least half full. In a large evacuation, fuel stations can be overwhelmed quickly.

Eagle Mountain is not in danger right now, and there's no cause for alarm. But conditions across the region are serious, and they can shift quickly — especially as fireworks season approaches. A little extra caution right now goes a long way. Let's look out for each other and keep our community safe.

The Planning Commission meets Tuesday evening, with the work session at 5:30 PM and the public policy session at 6:30 PM. Two items on the agenda are worth knowing about.

The city is proposing to add a seventh area to its annexation map. Eagle Mountain's annexation policy plan identifies land outside the city that could potentially be considered for future expansion. The proposed addition — referred to as Area 7 — is located southeast of Eagle Mountain near Utah Lake and Redwood Road. One reason this area is on the city's radar: it may contain rare earth materials, which the city sees as a potential long-term economic asset. Adding it to the map doesn't mean annexation is happening; it means the city is formally keeping the option open. Tuesday's meeting is a public hearing, so residents can attend and comment. Full Planning Commission details here.

The commission is also reviewing a proposal to add attainable housing to the Triumph Subdivision, a development near Lake Mountain Road south of Pole Canyon Boulevard. The request would create four higher-density clusters within the larger project, with deed restrictions in place to keep prices lower. To help make it work, the city is proposing to cover the cost of water rights for those units and waive certain development fees. This is also a public hearing.

On the property tax front: the interim budget passed on June 16. The next public opportunity to weigh in is the Truth-in-Taxation hearing on August 6 at 6 PM at City Hall. Full background here.

Chelsey Langston is a nursing student, a mom to three girls between the ages of 6 and 13, and the person behind Girly Pop Cakesicles & Treats. On top of school and family life, she's been quietly building something sweet on the side — handcrafted cakesicles and cake pops made right here in Eagle Mountain, with rotating flavors and custom designs for any occasion.

I tried them recently. They're genuinely delicious.

You can find Girly Pop at the Eagle Mountain Farmers Market on Saturday mornings at Cory B. Wride Memorial Park. Follow their socials to find out when the cart pops up at other locations — that's where pickup details and new flavors get announced.

Find them on Instagram: @girlypopcakesicles

Stay safe out there, and if you hear about anything in Eagle Mountain others should know about, just hit reply and let me know.

See you around,

— Colten

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