Wildfire Emergency Restrictions
Utah Declares State of Emergency, Restricts Fireworks as Largest US Wildfire Spreads
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Utah's largest wildfire is now the biggest active fire in the United States. The Cottonwood Fire has burned over 112 square miles — roughly 72,000 acres — in southern Utah's Beaver County with 0% containment as of Friday, according to Associated Press. Governor Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency and restricted fireworks statewide ahead of July Fourth, calling this fire season "different" from anything seen before.
The National Weather Service issued a rare "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Red Flag Warning for five Utah counties — a classification more commonly used for tornado outbreaks. Wind gusts up to 50 mph and humidity in the single digits are fueling fire behavior that even veteran firefighters say they have never witnessed, according to WFMZ.
Cottonwood Fire Explodes From 50 Acres to 72,000 in Four Days
The Cottonwood Fire started Monday, June 22, near a campground off State Route 153 in Fishlake National Forest, about five miles east of Beaver, Utah. Within seven hours, it exploded from 50 acres to 10,000 acres, driven by high winds and bone-dry timber, according to KSL.com. By Friday morning, it had grown to over 112 square miles — making it the largest active wildfire in the country.
The speed is historic. Utah has recorded over 143,000 acres burned statewide so far in 2026. By this same date in previous years, that number was just 13,300 acres, according to KULR8. Firefighting suppression costs for the Cottonwood Fire alone have already reached an estimated $50 million and are still climbing.
Eagle Point Ski Resort Severely Damaged, Closure Looms
Eagle Point Resort, a key economic anchor for Beaver County, took a direct hit. Drone footage confirmed that the main lodge area sustained severe damage. Resort owner Shane Gadbaw said: "Eagle Point will be closed for a considerable time to recover from the catastrophe. We are thankful that, to our knowledge, there have been no human casualties," according to Record-Eagle.
The closure threatens not just summer tourism but potentially the entire 2026-2027 ski season. Nathan Rafferty, President of Ski Utah, said Eagle Point is "a source of recreation, livelihoods, and local identity" and that "the impact will be felt across Beaver County and throughout the Utah ski industry," according to Dayton Daily News. About 1,300 residents in nearby Marysvale, Junction, and Circleville remain under evacuation warnings.
Governor Bans Fireworks Statewide, Overriding Local Control
Governor Cox signed an executive order Thursday giving the state forester power to restrict or ban fireworks in any Utah city or town. The order suspends a 2024 law that had previously limited the state's ability to override local fireworks permits, according to The Guardian. The ban runs through July 5 and may be extended to cover Pioneer Day on July 24. Cox said: "Utahns love celebrating the Fourth of July with fireworks. I do too. But this year is different."
Some municipal leaders pushed back, calling the order an erosion of city-level decision-making. But state officials say Utah's firefighting resources are already "exhausted." Salt Lake City is pivoting to drone shows in place of fireworks. State Forester Jamie Barnes warned that fires this season are "behaving in ways veteran firefighters simply haven't seen before," according to Rutland Herald.
Smoke Blankets National Parks as Western Fire Risk Stays High
The fire is visible from hundreds of miles away. Smoke has choked air quality at Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks — two of Utah's most popular summer destinations — during the peak tourist season, according to SM Daily Journal. Social media videos from Bryce Canyon show massive smoke plumes rising over the canyon rim, raising concerns about tourism losses on top of the resort damage.
Rocky Mountain Power has begun Public Safety Power Shut-offs to prevent downed lines from starting new fires during the high-wind event. The forecasted wind shift this weekend could push the fire further, with experts warning the burn area could double if conditions hold. NWS meteorologist Jason Stroud called the PDS warning — the first ever issued for fire by the Salt Lake City office — a sign of "erratic and life-threatening" fire behavior ahead, according to Weatherford Democrat.
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