Cottonwood Fire

The Cottonwood Fire ignited the afternoon of June 22, 2026 about 5 miles east of Beaver in Utah's Tushar Mountains, and under extreme winds, drought, and 5–15% humidity raced from 10,000 to over 94,000 acres in just one week, becoming the largest active wildfire in the United States. The blaze, which officials have confirmed was human-caused, tore through the Eagle Point Resort — destroying numerous condos, cabins, and at least a dozen occupied homes — and prompted mandatory evacuations for HiLo Estates, Merchant Valley, Arrowhead Summer Homes, and several mountain subdivisions, with 'ready' notices issued for Marysvale, Circleville, and Junction.

Governor Spencer Cox declared a statewide emergency, restricted Fourth of July fireworks, and called the Cottonwood Fire poised to become the most destructive in Utah history. FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant after the fire threatened more than 300 homes and critical infrastructure. The national preparedness level was raised to PL-4 on June 29 as crews battled the blaze alongside the Knowles and Gore fires on the Colorado-Utah border, where three wildland firefighters were killed on June 27.

The American Red Cross of Utah opened an emergency shelter at the Beaver Armory and dispatched additional volunteers from Southern Nevada to support displaced families, while the Salvation Army of Intermountain mobilized mobile feeding units and is raising funds to support both firefighters and impacted families. Power outages have been reported across southern Utah as fire crews work to defend communities ahead of forecast winds.