KSL's Inside Sources

The massive and destructive Cottonwood Fire continues to spread in central Utah. The actual destruction caused by the fire is still a bit iffy right now, as crews haven't been able to get close enough to the damage to take an assessment. KSL NewsRadio's Adam Small joins the show live from Beaver, describing the plume of smoke rising above the small town and what we know about the destruction so far. Beaver County Commissioner Tammy Pearson also joins Inside Sources, outlining the local reaction to this devastating fire and what the county is doing to help those affected.

But on the flip side, a bit of hope is on the horizon for those affected by the Iron Fire. This afternoon, the full-scale evacuation of the town of Eureka has been lifted. People haven't been able to be in their homes for several days now. And while the danger still remains, fire officials believe it's subsided enough to allow people back into town. KSL NewsRadio legend Doug Wright owns a home in Eureka; he joins Greg and Holly to describe what he's been feeling over the past several days.

Holly and Greg share tips on emergency preparedness, referencing an emergency action plan put out by Utah State University. Dr. Lee Chung, a stroke neurologist at the University of Utah also joins the conversation, describing the potential health effects -- including an increased risk of stroke -- from breathing in wildfire smoke.

About a week and a half to go until a big birthday bash for our country. America250 -- let's talk about the ways Utahns are celebrating. Two guests joined Inside Sources for this conversation: Nicole Handy, executive director and Chris Abbott, associate director for America250 Utah. They share ways Utahns can get involved in the celebrations and the various opportunities to provide service as part of this special anniversary.

New developments today in an old case out of Zion National Park. In 2006, Bernadette Vander Meer died in a fall from the popular Angel's Landing Trail. Her husband, David, claims she fell on accident while he had turned away to get something, but several tips over the years have led authorities to question his story. Now, the Washington County Attorney's Office has filed murder and fraud charges against David. KSL Legal Analyst Greg Skordas breaks it down for listeners.

Several fires continue to cause extensive damage in Utah, with new fires popping up every day and existing fires exploding in size. In fact, the Cottonwood Fire burning down near Beaver doubled in size overnight — from roughly 30,000 acres to more than 60,000 acres. Greg and Holly hear from listeners who share what conditions are like in their neck of the woods. Whether it’s seeing falling ash or breathing in hazy smoke, Utahns all around the state are in the throes of wildfire season.

Today, President Trump was all set to sign a major bipartisan housing bill that recently passed both chambers of Congress. The bill would have created easier paths to homeownership — especially for first-time homebuyers — and would have barred private equity firms from buying homes in America. But the President said he won’t sign that bill until the SAVE America Act — which deals with voting and citizenship — passes Congress.

As fires continue to burn around the state, it got us wondering what happens when a home burns down. Will insurance cover wildfire damage? Is it different than a typical house fire? What do homeowners need to know and consider as they buy insurance? Utah State Insurance Commissioner Jon Pike joins the program to answer those and many other insurance-related questions.

Nothing like an exciting night of election results to get you up in the morning! No? Just us. Oh well. It was quite the upheaval in Utah's Primary Election – several state and county-level leaders appear to have lost. We pretty much called the bigger Congressional races, but several of the smaller races saw some really interesting shake-ups.

Your Voice, Your Vote – it's the morning after primary election day, so let's talk about what we learned. Greg and Holly share their thoughts on various races – both locally and nationally. We also hear from several winners in local and state races last night: Nathan Tueller, Republican primary election winner for a county commission seat in Box Elder County; Bob Stevenson, Republican primary election winner for Utah House District 16; Rep. Doug Fiefia, Republican primary election winner for Utah Senate District 18; and Stephanie Hollist, Republican primary election winner for Utah Senate District 7.

Topics we will cover on this episode of KSL's Inside Sources include:

Severe fire growth around the state continues today, with several new fires popping up and others exploding in size. All these fires in the season has many wondering why leaders haven't banned fireworks yet. State leaders say cities need to do it themselves, but Bountiful Mayor Kate Bradshaw says the state has limited what they can actually do. She joins the show to explain. Greg and Holly finish things up discussing Amazon Prime Days and how more Americans are expected to buy essentials rather than splurging on something special or fancy.