Utah Wildfire Surges, Prompting Statewide Fireworks Ban
Utah is battling its most severe wildfire crisis in recent memory as the Cottonwood Fire — now the largest active blaze in the United States — continues to burn entirely uncontained. Governor Spencer Cox has declared a state of emergency and issued a temporary statewide fireworks ban from July 2 through July 5, an extraordinary measure taken just days before the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
As of Friday, the Cottonwood Fire in southern Utah has scorched nearly 111 square miles (287 square kilometers) near the town of Beaver and remains at 0% containment, according to AP News. The blaze, which started Monday, June 22, has severely damaged the Eagle Point ski resort — a beloved family destination with 600 lift-served acres and 43 runs that has operated since 1970. Governor Cox has called it potentially the “most destructive” fire in Utah history in terms of property loss.
A State on Fire
The Cottonwood Fire is just one of six large wildfires currently burning across Utah. The Iron Fire in Juab County, about 70 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, has blackened 63 square miles and is 26% contained after forcing the evacuation of the town of Eureka. A third blaze, the human-caused Bonneville Fire, burned in the Salt Lake City foothills near the University of Utah, coming within 100 feet of the Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Statewide, 354 wildfires have burned nearly 142,000 acres this season. More than 75% of these fires have been human-caused, according to state officials. The crisis is compounded by extreme drought conditions affecting 94% of Utah, with the U.S. Drought Monitor reporting severe or extreme drought across nearly the entire state.
An Unprecedented Fireworks Ban
On Thursday, Governor Cox signed an executive order temporarily suspending state law to grant the state forester authority to ban fireworks within municipal boundaries. The ban runs from July 2 through July 5, covering the Independence Day holiday period. Local leaders, working with their fire chiefs, may designate “safe areas” where fireworks remain permitted. If no such areas are designated, the state forester’s ban remains in full effect.
“Nothing about this decision was easy,” Cox said in a statement, as reported by Fox News. “But this year is different. We are seeing fire behavior that even our most experienced firefighters say they’ve never witnessed before.”
In a post on X, the governor added: “Our goal is to make sure our neighborhoods and communities are still standing on July 5.”
Under Utah state law (HB 38, 2018), the governor cannot enact an all-out fireworks ban under normal circumstances. Cox’s executive order temporarily suspends that statute, though state law only permits such action for 30 days. The Salt Lake Tribune reported that some legislators disagree with the restrictions, to which Cox responded: “Go out to one of these fires and talk to one of these firefighters, look them in the eye, and then come back and talk to me.”
Firefighters Stretched to the Limit
State Forester Jamie Barnes warned that prolonged drought, critically dry vegetation, and extreme weather are causing fires to behave in ways that “defy historical expectations,” according to AP News. “Most of the fires we are fighting this year didn’t have to start,” Barnes told Utah Public Radio. “We are pushing more than 80% of human-caused fires. I raise this because it means that we can do something about this.”
Firefighting resources are critically stretched. Cox warned that fire departments from across Utah have had to transport crews to help with major fires, depleting forces in other cities. “So, if on July 3, 4 or 5 we have multiple starts in this valley, we’re screwed, OK? That’s it — nobody to respond,” Cox told reporters, as quoted by the Salt Lake Tribune. “This is not just big government, this is like life or death stuff.”
The National Weather Service issued a first-ever “Particularly Dangerous Situation” warning for five Utah counties — a designation usually reserved for tornado conditions. Red flag warnings remain in effect across most of Utah, southeastern California, southern Nevada, and northwestern Arizona, with wind gusts up to 50 mph expected.
Economic and Community Impact
The destruction of Eagle Point Resort represents a significant blow to the local community. Nathan Rafferty, President of Ski Utah, told SKI Magazine that the resort is “a source of recreation, livelihoods, and local identity for the region it calls home.” Eagle Point owner Shane Gadbaw confirmed there have been no human casualties but noted “significant property loss for local owners and the resort.”
What’s Next
State officials plan to re-evaluate wildfire conditions after Independence Day to determine whether similar restrictions will be needed for Utah’s Pioneer Day holiday (July 22-25). The state has a $121 million emergency fund set aside for fire emergencies, though leaders will need to assess how to replenish it at the end of the fire season.
With extreme drought showing no signs of abating and fire behavior defying historical norms, Utah faces a long and dangerous summer. As Governor Cox put it: “When people who’ve dedicated their lives to protecting Utah tell us this year is different, we desperately need to listen.”