Hot air balloons float as others take off from Fox Field during preliminary flights as part of the Freedom Festival's Balloon Fest on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, in Provo.

The summertime vibes that began in June only intensified in July.

As I've said before, Americana, summertime and Utah County simply go hand-in-hand. The Fourth of July and Pioneer Day (essentially a second, pioneer-themed Fourth of July for Utah – complete with fireworks and nicknamed by some locals as "Pie and Beer Day") bookend the month with red, white and blue. Several city celebrations, essentially fairs with quirky historical events specific to some cities, round out the month, and the summer in general.

Among the typical Americana of the month, July offered up several unique photo opportunities. Last year, three large wildfires ripped through the rural areas in and around Utah County, so fire-related follow-up stories (including two extensive tours of the burn areas) were a focus. Besides the three past fires, two smaller-scale fires also cropped up for several days within a mile of homes in the county in July. The summer wildfire season in the mountain west is no joke. A police K-9 memorial service and a press conference preluding a court case concerning two grizzly murders rounded out the month in spot news. Another focus last month was the sports department's annual high school football special section, which is published the first weekend of high school football season. This was my first time being totally in charge of working with the sports team to conceptualize, plan and photograph the project, and doing so between daily assignments without any other staff photographers to help out. The special section was themed "putting in the work", and centered around portrait shoots for a composite cover concept, along with several candid shoots of preseason practices. Fortunately, sports reporter Jared Lloyd stepped in to help photograph schools I couldn't get to, and assist with the portrait shoots.

Throughout July, I spent what free time I had to continue working on a photo story I began in June. It was inspired by summertime themes I've seen while photographing carnivals. The story will publish on August 5th, and I look forward to sharing it in next month’s blog post.

Steve Bullock, of Orem, jokes with family and friends before Stadium of Fire held Thursday, July 4, 2019, at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo.

Kash Kay, 9, of Santaquin, works to properly place an arrow on the string of his bow during bow-and-arrow exercises Wednesday, July 10, 2019, at Camp Jeremiah Johnson in Hobble Creek Canyon.

Paul Gauchay, Acting Spanish Fork District Ranger with the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, listens to a speaker during a tour to examine conditions within Payson Canyon following last year's Pole Creek and Bald Mountain wildfires Tuesday, July 16, 2019, along Nebo Loop Road.

A burned pickup truck remains beside where a mobile home once stood during a tour to examine conditions near the Wildcat Wildlife Management Area roughly a year after the Dollar Ridge Fire on Monday, July 8, 2019, in Duchesne County.

Deputy Brad Ryan handles his K9 partner, Axe, before introducing themselves among other deputies and their K-9 partners during a memorial service for Havoc, a sheriff's K-9 who died from injuries after being hit by a car, held Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Utah County Sheriff’s Office in Spanish Fork.

A memorial to Lindsay Dougal's late son, Theo, who was stillborn at 39 weeks and five days and who would now be 4-years old if he were still living, is displayed on a shelf as Lindsay gets snacks for her sons Albert, 6, and Felix, 3, on Tuesday, July 22, 2019, at the Dougal family's home in Springville. Doulas who offer bereavement services, such as Dougal, support families who are experiencing losses ranging from miscarriages, to stillbirth, to babies who are not expected to live long after birth.

Amanda Hunt, center, “Breezy’s” aunt, consoles Nikka Powell, Riley’s sister, while they sit beside Bill Powell, Riley’s father, as Utah County Attorney David Leavitt speaks during a press conference concerning Leavitt’s intent on whether or not to seek the death penalty for Jerrod Baum on Wednesday, July 31, 2019, at the Utah County Commission Chambers in Provo. Among eight felony charges, Baum is charged with two counts of aggravated murder in the case of teenagers Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson and Riley Powell.

Unexploded ordnance technicians with contractor Parsons sweep an area near Eagle Mountain Ranch Bike Park with metal detectors for possible munitions debris from historical military training Wednesday, July 17, 2019.

Karl Liechty, of Lindon, blends chalks near the eyes of a monster as he and his brother, Nathan, work on their piece of art during the inaugural Chalk It Up chalk-art festival as part of American Fork's Steel Days on Thursday, July 18, 2019, in the parking lot across the street from the Harrington Center for the Arts.

A hot air balloon floats near Rock Canyon during preliminary flights as part of the Freedom Festival's Balloon Fest on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, in Provo.

Crew members of Just Ducky pack away the hot air balloon behind businesses during preliminary flights as part of the Freedom Festival's Balloon Fest on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, near Fox Field in Provo.

Lone Peak Knights senior linebacker Keegan Nitta poses for a portrait before preseason practice Tuesday, July 30, 2019, at Lone Peak High School in Highland.

Provo Bulldogs senior safety Ryan Harward poses for a portrait during preseason practice Monday, July 22, 2019, at Provo High School.

Maple Mountain Golden Eagles senior running back poses for a portrait during preseason practice Monday, July 29, 2019, at Maple Mountain High School in Spanish Fork.

Orem Golden Tigers senior defensive back Jake Robinson poses for a portrait during preseason practice Monday, July 22, 2019, at Orem High School.

Juan Leno Fonseca, 3, of Vineyard, splashes into the water at the bottom of a slide Friday, July 12, 2019, at the Vineyard Grove Park Splash Pad.

Aimee Pond, owner of Champions Sports Center, helps guide Cassi Buchanan, 11, of Saratoga Springs, on her back walkover during a practice Friday, July 26, 2019, at Pond’s gymnastics center in Lehi. Pond teaches her students without speech, because she is deaf, and also partially blind.

Lisa Tensmeyer Hansen, clinical director at Flourish Therapy, poses for a portrait Monday, July 15, 2019, at the organization's offices, located at 379 N. University Ave. in Provo. Flourish specializes in providing services for the LGBTQ community, and now operates only on donations after it recently split from non-profit Encircle.

U.S. Army veteran Jim Taylor, 74, and his sister, LuAnn Stones, bike up Nebo Loop Road on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, in Payson Canyon south of Payson, Utah. Taylor bikes roughly 18 miles round-trip up and down the canyon every morning he can as a means of combating his PTSD.

Provo senior offensive tackle Jake Haloma works with tension bands as he conditions with other players during preseason practice Monday, July 22, 2019, at Provo High School.

Jimi Gragg, with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, adjusts his hat while burned trees from the Dollar Ridge Fire stand on a ridge behind him during a tour to examine conditions within the Wildcat Wildlife Management Area roughly a year after the Dollar Ridge Fire on Monday, July 8, 2019, in Duchesne County, Utah.

Bride-to-be Meagan Pinales, of Vineyard, looks over her colonial clothing while she gets dressed with the help of her sister, Briana Pinales, as part of Meagan's wedding during the Colonial Heritage Festival held Friday, July 5, 2019, at SCERA Park in Orem.

From left, Nick Hoopiiaina, Kelly Shelledy and Nick Pacheco, all with Innovative Sheet Metal, move in cooling equipment while an American flag waves atop the new Fourth Judicial District Courthouse and construction crews renovate the former Fourth Judicial District Courthouse to become a new campus for Mountainland Technical College on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, in Provo.

Isabelle Bramble, 11, of Vineyard, grimaces as she holds the balloon of Dee III open while hot air is pumped into it before preliminary flights as part of the Freedom Festival's Balloon Fest on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, at Fox Field in Provo.