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Utah Declares Emergency, Bans Fireworks as Cottonwood Fire Grows
State officials restricted fireworks and declared a state of emergency Friday ahead of July Fourth. The Cottonwood Fire has burned nearly 72,000 acres with zero containment.
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Utah restricted fireworks and declared a state of emergency Friday ahead of July Fourth celebrations as the Cottonwood Fire expanded across more than 112 square miles of dry forest. The National Weather Service issued a rare "Particularly Dangerous Situation" warning for five Utah counties, citing dry and windy conditions that have fueled additional fires across the western United States.
The Cottonwood Fire started Monday in a sparsely populated area of southern Utah. By Friday evening it had burned nearly 72,000 acres and remained at zero percent containment, according to the state's wildfire dashboard. Strong winds of 35 miles per hour sustained with gusts to 45 miles per hour grounded air support and produced extreme fire behavior including crown runs and spotting, a spokesperson assigned to the fire said.
One of six large wildfires burning in Utah, the Cottonwood Fire severely damaged the Eagle Point ski resort in Beaver County and forced mandatory evacuations.
The weather service in Salt Lake City issued the "Particularly Dangerous Situation" warning for the first time in the office's history. A red flag warning covering most of the state also remains in effect through Saturday. Gov. Spencer Cox set the temporary fireworks restrictions through July 5, noting that humans have caused 273 of the 376 wildfires recorded in Utah this year.
The order gives the state forester authority to restrict or prohibit fireworks displays in cities and towns rather than leaving those decisions to local communities.
Authorities placed roughly 1,300 residents in the towns of Marysvale, Junction and Circleville on notice to prepare for possible evacuation if the fire advances. Federal land managers closed public lands near the Cottonwood Fire, and Rocky Mountain Power issued a public safety power shut-off watch for parts of central, southern and eastern Utah through the weekend.
Nationally, nearly 3 million acres have burned since January 1, placing the United States ahead of the 10-year average, the National Interagency Fire Center reported.
