Cottonwood Fire Expands to 92,000 Acres, Threatening Utah Ski Community
The Cottonwood wildfire in southern Utah has burned nearly 92,000 acres, destroying a ski lodge, condos and cabins at Eagle Point, with no injuries reported but containment at zero percent.
The Cottonwood fire in southern Utah has spread to almost 92,000 acres, engulfing a ski lodge, condominiums and rustic cabins in the Eagle Point ski area. Governor Spencer Cox described the blaze as the largest property loss in the state's history, though no injuries or fatalities have been confirmed.
Fire crews, including local volunteer firefighters, have been unable to contain the blaze, which remained at 0 percent containment on Saturday morning. Meteorologists warned that hot, windy conditions expected over the weekend could intensify the fire, with gusts forecast at up to 50 miles per hour and humidity dropping to 15-18 percent amid a deep regional drought.
The fire’s rapid growth follows a dry winter and a hot spring that left vegetation in the Tushar Mountains highly susceptible to ignition.
