Utah declares a state of emergency and restricts fireworks as US largest
wildfire grows
[June 27, 2026]
By KATHY McCORMACK and SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Utah restricted fireworks and declared a state of emergency Friday ahead
of July Fourth celebrations as the United States' largest wildfire
expanded its reach across more tinder-dry forest as crews rush to fight
new blazes in the arid state.
The National Weather Service issued a rare “Particularly Dangerous
Situation” warning as dry, windy conditions provided fuel for more fires
across the western U.S.
The Cottonwood Fire in a sparsely populated area of southern Utah
started Monday. It ballooned to more than 112 square miles (290 square
kilometers) by Friday, burning unchecked as strong winds grounded air
support, forestry officials said. One of six large wildfires burning in
Utah, it severely damaged the Eagle Point ski resort in Beaver County,
forcing mandatory evacuations.
“We have the 35 miles-per-hour (56 km/h) sustained winds that they
predicted, and we definitely have the 45 miles-per-hour (72 km/h)
gusts,” said Alyssa Mason, a spokesperson assigned to the fire. “So
there has been a great increase in the fire activity. We are seeing
extreme fire behavior out there with some crown runs and definitely some
spotting.”
The smoke has been pushing to the east and northeast, meaning air
quality at popular vacation spots like Zion and Bryce Canyon national
parks — located far south of the flames — hasn’t been significantly
affected beyond some haze in the Bryce area. Still, visitors to Bryce
have posted videos on social media showing the giant plume in the
distance.
The smoke could be seen for hundreds of miles, all the way to Colorado,
as authorities put roughly 1,300 residents in the towns of Marysvale,
Junction and Circleville on notice that they should be prepared to leave
if conditions worsen and the fire pushes further. In Marysvale, ash fell
from the sky and thick smoke blocked the sun on Friday, making the sky
dark as night.
State forester Jamie Barnes had said Thursday that it's like nothing
seen in recent memory. She said fires are spreading farther and faster
“under conditions that defy historical expectations.”
Bruce Brown, 76, accompanied the sheriff on Thursday to find that his
cabin and others in the area were gone. He found a burned out moonscape
with power poles tipped over along the canyon.
Alyssa Olsen, 27, said her family’s cabin also burned. It was the last
place they gathered for family photos with her grandmother before she
died of cancer. Her brother was planning to get married there in two
months.
“That stuff you can’t just build back,” Olsen said.
Fireworks will be limited in Utah through July 5
Gov. Spencer Cox set the temporary fireworks restrictions through July 5
as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, saying “this
year is different.”
The weather service in Salt Lake City, for the first time in the
office's history, issued a “ Particularly Dangerous Situation ” warning
for five Utah counties, including the area of the Cottonwood Fire. The
rare alert was first used to warn of tornado conditions. A red flag
warning also was issued for most of the state.
“Prepare now for rapid fire growth,” it said.
A similar “dangerous situation” warning had been issued for the 2025
Palisades Fire in Los Angeles. A federal judge declared a mistrial
Friday in the arson case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man accused
of sparking that fire. The jury said it couldn't agree on a verdict.
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A plume of smoke rises from the Cottonwood Fire, Friday, June 26,
2026, near Beaver, Utah. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)
While the Cottonwood Fire's cause was unknown, Cox’s order noted
that humans have been the cause of most fires in the state so far
this year.
The governor’s order gives Barnes power to restrict or prohibit
fireworks displays in Utah’s cities and towns, instead of leaving
those decisions to the communities.
With extreme fire conditions persisting, Rocky Mountain Power issued
a public safety power shut-off watch/warning for areas of central,
southern and eastern Utah through the weekend.
Crews also were battling the Iron Fire southwest of Salt Lake City.
The flames on Thursday forced the temporary evacuation of Eureka,
population 1,000.
Wildfire danger prompts concern throughout the West
Red flag warnings, which mean conditions such as low humidity, warm
temperatures and strong winds can create an extreme wildfire risk,
were in effect Friday and stretched from Idaho to southern Arizona
and New Mexico.
The warnings extended into Saturday, with forecasters predicting
winds of 25 to 35 miles an hour (40 km/h to 56 km/h) and very low
humidity levels. The worst conditions were expected from northern
Arizona into central and southern Utah.
Much of Utah already is experiencing severe to extreme drought,
while parts of Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico are experiencing
severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Tim Brown, a research professor and director of the Western Regional
Climate Center, said the potential for extreme fire behavior will
remain as long as it's hot, dry and windy.
“I would not be surprised to see a lot of restrictions come out as
we get closer to the July Fourth weekend,” he said. “People really
need to be aware of their surroundings if they’re going to be out in
the forested campground areas and grassland areas.”
Even in Florida, where there have been multiple brush fires,
authorities are urging people to skip the personal fireworks and
instead leave the pyrotechnics to professionals putting on carefully
planned shows.
In Utah, federal land managers have closed public lands near the
Cottonwood Fire as a precaution, and in New Mexico, forest officials
closed campgrounds and trails near a wildfire burning in the Jemez
Mountains.
Nationally, nearly 3 million acres have burned since the start of
the year, pushing the U.S. ahead of the 10-year average. The
National Interagency Fire Center said firefighters are making
progress on containing fires from Alaska to Florida.
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Associated Press reporter Sudhin Thanawala contributed to this
story.
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