Hiking a popular trailhead above Provo’s Brigham Young University will not be a holiday activity for Fourth of July celebrations this year.

The flagship school of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced that it will be closing the Y Mountain Trail and the trailhead parking lot from July 2 through 5, citing public safety concerns amid this summer wildfire season.

In a social media post on X, the university reminded the public that “personal fireworks are never permitted on BYU campus,” much less on the school-owned mountainside.

This trail closure comes after Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced statewide restrictions on personal firework use. The executive order granted temporary authority to the state forester to bar fireworks from July 2 through 5.

The order allowed cities and towns to designate areas where fireworks may be used in consultation with area fire officials. With wildfires blazing across the state, Provo implemented a citywide ban on personal fireworks.

“This year is different,” Provo City Mayor Marsha Judkins said in a news release. “The wildfire danger facing our community is real, and protecting lives, homes and our natural spaces must come first. We ask every resident to help us by honoring this temporary ban and celebrating Independence Day safely.”

Note to readers • Dylan Eubank is a Report for America corps member covering faith in Utah County for The Salt Lake Tribune. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories.