The Cottonwood Fire is a large, fast moving, and destructive wildfire burning in Piute and Beaver counties, Utah, east of Beaver. The fire ignited due to a still unknown cause on June 22, 2026 and rapidly spread, surpassing in its first day, and over on June 24. As of July 18, the fire has burned , is 95% contained, and has destroyed at least 150 structures. The fire is also the 6th largest in the state's history.

Cause Resources were sent to respond to a vegetation fire by 12:09 pm that started near Cottonwood Campground. While the specific cause is under investigation, officials have determined the fire is not naturally caused and is of human origin.

Progression A Wireless Emergency Alert was sent to residents in the mountain cabin community of HiLo by Beaver County, advising residents to evacuate, with the message issued by 12:14 pm. State Route 153 was closed and the fire was reported at . Evacuations were ordered for HiLo and Eagle Point Resort. Multiple aerial and ground resources were responding to the fire. The fire had grown to at least by 7 pm and at 7:30 pm, evacuation notices were expanded to include Merchant Valley. Merchant Valley residents were ordered to evacuate at 9 pm and Utah Fire Info reported the Cottonwood Fire to be . Arrowhead Summer Homes was added to the evacuation order area as the fire grew to that night and continuing to grow all night. The fire was to by the next morning. 160 structures were threatened. The Cottonwood Fire began producing several pyrocumulonimbus clouds as it was growing The wildfire surpassed to and soon .

By June 24, the fire had reached about . A particularly dangerous situation was issued by the National Weather Service Salt Lake City for five counties, including the area of the active Cottonwood Fire. The fire was then confirmed number one priority in Utah with crews focused on protecting Circleville. Marysvale was placed in a level one "ready" evacuation status. Officials confirmed Eagle Point Resort was heavily damaged by the fire, as it had "tore through many condos and cabins" with many structures destroyed in the general area. A security camera video from a house showed the fire actively burning down the resort.

Circleville and Junction were placed under a level one "ready" evacuation status the next day. That afternoon, aerial operations were temporarily suspended due to significant smoke and wind. The fire surpassed by that morning and had continued growing all afternoon and night, mostly several miles to the north in the North Fork Drainage with extreme fire behavior and spread, much like what was observed in the fire's first days. In result, crews had to disengage from the battling the fire as well as it was too dangerous. Fire had reached Delano peak running up the mountain, and more was focused near and all around Mount Belknap. Piute County Emergency Management lifted the level one "ready” evacuation status for Circleville and Junction. A community meeting was held at Piute High School at 7 pm.

The fire had surpassed 92,000 acres still with zero percent containment on the morning of June 27, with more red flag conditions expected that day. Direct extinguishment strategies throughout the fire parameter in several places were also utilized, which included the strengthening of dozer and hand lines, in an effort to slow the fire's spread, as it had moderated due to slightly higher humidity and some cloud cover. 1,200 resources were working the fire. Higher humidity levels helped moderate fire conditions despite strong winds gusting up to . On June 28, officials led residents in Piute County to retrieve camp trailers.

The fire spread to on June 29. Helicopters were combatting areas inaccessible by foot due to terrain. Decreased fire activity overnight allowed crews to begin laying a hose lay around portions of the Cottonwood Fire's perimeter, with crews prioritizing structure protection near LeBaron Meadows and Kents Lake. The fire reached 4% containment. The fire reached 5% containment on June 30 and a community meeting was held at Piute High School.

On July 1, containment on the Cottonwood Fire increased to 19%. Crews focused on building a dozer line between Mount Baldy and Cork Ridge as the fire was still moving to the west. North Creek and Manderfield were placed on set evacuation status while the ready evacuation status was lifted for Marysvale, Junction, and Circleville on July 2. Containment increased to 23%. The fire surpassed 94,000 acres on the morning of July 3, with most of this growth on its western edge. The fire reached 42% containment on July 4.

Containment had reached 47% by July 5, just as the fire surpassed 95,000 acres, with still over 1,000 personnel assigned and continuing their direct stratigies. And in the coming days, control of the fire was more established, with minimal growth to a few hundred acres a day decreasing even more as containment kept increasing, which had made it past 70% by July 12 and then 90% by July 18th.

Effects

While crews are just starting to conduct comprehensive damage assessments, crews have confirmed Eagle Point Resort has sustained significant structural damage and Governor Spencer Cox has stated, "there's a very good chance that this is already the most destructive fire in the state's history." ABC News stated, "ranchers reported finding dead cattle strewn across burned grazing land", and the Utah agriculture commissioner stated it would take "years" for ranchers to recover from the fire. The fire has prompted evacuation orders for Eagle Point Resort, the HiLo Estates, Merchant Valley, and Arrowhead Summer Homes and "ready" evacuation notices for Marysvale, Circleville, and Junction. Power outages are occurring across Piute County. Eagle Point Resort is closed and will remain closed in the future due to significant damage. State Route 153 and several forest roads are closed, along with large portions of Fishlake National Forest. The forest closure will remain in place until December 31, 2026 unless rescinded due to better conditions. The Cottonwood Fire has significantly impacted air quality across multiple states outside of Utah, with numerous reports of poor air quality and smoke visibility in Moab and Colorado. A Red Cross shelter was set up in the Beaver armory for anyone who needed assistance evacuating from the fire.

The fire has also partly contributed to a statewide fireworks ban issued by the governor due to a wildfire outbreak throughout the state before forth of July, causing some backlash among the people who live in the state. The Fourth of July celebration in Beaver was cancelled as well.

+Peak air quality from June 27 – July 6CityJune 27June 28June 29June 30July 1July 2July 3July 4July 5July 6SalinaRichfieldMarysvaleKoosharemJunctionBeaver

Growth and containment table +Fire containment status Gray: contained; Red: active; %: percent contained;DateArea burnedPersonnelContainmentJune 22 June 23 June 24 June 25 June 26 658June 271,200June 28June 29 June 30July 1 1,204July 2 1,222July 3 1,273July 4 1,305July 5 1,289July 6 July 7 1,252July 8 1,249July 9 1,172July 10 1,175July 11 1,043July 12 1,040July 13 906July 14 894July 15 799July 16 758July 18542

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