Utah News Roundup: Helicopter Crash Kills Two, Measles Outbreak, Medicaid Shortfall

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Community · Red Rock Daily staff

Here’s a roundup of recent Utah news: two pilots died when a firefighting helicopter crashed near the Widemouth 2 fire, Utah has the nation’s highest measles rate per capita, and the state’s Medicaid program faces a budget shortfall.

Helicopter crash kills two near the Widemouth 2 fire

A Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane firefighting helicopter operated by Helicopter Transport Services under contract with the U.S. Forest Service crashed around 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7, near Richfield, in the Three Creeks Reservoir area southwest of the city, at the southeastern edge of the Widemouth 2 fire. The pilot and one crew member died; the two pilots were later identified as one from Porterville, California, and one from Bettendorf, Iowa. The National Interagency Fire Center confirmed the deaths Saturday, Aug. 8, more than 24 hours after the crash, and the bodies were recovered that day after extreme fire conditions and steep terrain delayed rescuers. Evacuations and road closures were issued (KUTV; KSL.com; Salt Lake Tribune; Al Jazeera, Aug. 9, 2026).

The Widemouth 2 fire ignited from a lightning strike in Fishlake National Forest on July 27 and has burned more than 111,000 acres, on pace to be Utah’s largest wildfire of 2026; containment stood at 24% on Aug. 8 (KSL.com; Al Jazeera, Aug. 9, 2026).

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called wildland firefighting “among the most dangerous jobs in the world” and asked residents to keep the crew in their prayers. The Utah Highway Patrol organized a procession Saturday evening to escort the remains. It was Utah’s second fatal wildfire incident of the summer; three firefighters died in June on the Knowles and Gore fires near the Colorado border (Salt Lake Tribune; KUTV; Al Jazeera, Aug. 9, 2026).

Rocky Canyon Fire prompts Tri Utah triathlon postponement

Firefighters battled the Rocky Canyon Fire near Morgan, and organizers postponed the Tri Utah triathlon scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8, in Morgan County, citing public safety and ongoing firefighting operations. The fire was established in Red Rock Canyon; Highway 66 remained closed and East Canyon Reservoir was used for helicopter operations. Improved GPS mapping put the fire at 595 acres with only 5% of the perimeter active as of an Aug. 8 afternoon update. Crews included two task forces of engines and hand crews, a state Type 1 helicopter and two Utah National Guard Black Hawk helicopters, and Hog Back Summit was placed under “Ready” status in the Ready-Set-Go evacuation system (KUTV, Aug. 8, 2026).

False evacuation alerts sent across Utah

Emergency evacuation notifications were falsely issued across Utah on Sunday evening, Aug. 9. Emergency management agencies in Wasatch County, Salt Lake County, Uintah County, Utah County, parts of Summit County and Morgan County and more posted clarifications after the alerts went to devices at approximately 4:50 p.m. (ABC4 Utah, Aug. 9, 2026).

Utah has nation’s highest measles rate per capita

Utah has the nation’s highest measles rate per capita. Nationally there have been 2,465 measles cases this year, and Utah and South Carolina together account for 48% of them. Utah’s kindergarten vaccination rate fell from 97.7% — seventh highest in the U.S. in 2009-2010 — to 88.6%, 43rd last year, one of the biggest declines in the country; herd immunity requires 95%. The outbreak is concentrated in the Tri County (eastern Utah), Central Utah and Southwest health districts, which cover 12% of the state’s population but account for 64% of cases; in those rural districts 1 in 1,000 people has caught measles, versus 1 in 13,000 on the Wasatch Front. Over the last two years, 617 unvaccinated Utahns have gotten measles compared with 68 vaccinated (FOX 13 News Utah, Aug. 2026).

Medicaid program faces $100-200 million shortfall

The Utah Department of Health & Human Services confirmed a $100-200 million budget shortfall in its Medicaid program. Commissioner Tracy Gruber said there have been no changes to Medicaid benefits and stressed the program remains usable. Utah lost about 200,000 Medicaid members after the COVID-19 public health emergency ended, leaving a higher-cost “high utilizer” population. About 318,000 Utahns are on Medicaid, with a total budget of about $5.6 billion — Utah’s share about $500 million. The legislature is likely to tap rainy day funds, and the state says it does not plan coverage cuts (FOX 13 News Utah, Aug. 2026).

Severe storms hit the Wasatch Front

Severe thunderstorms hit the Wasatch Front on Aug. 13-14, prompting concert evacuations, flooding and evacuations. A severe thunderstorm warning covered Salt Lake City, West Valley City and West Jordan, with potential wind gusts up to 70 mph, and tornado warnings were issued in Tooele County (ABC4 Utah, Aug. 14, 2026; KSL.com).

For more on the Beehive State, see the Utah guide.