Fast-moving fire in Utah, the largest in the U.S., spreads overnight, leading to more evacuations

Key Points:

• A fast-moving wildfire called the Cottonwood Fire in southern Utah has expanded to over 144 square miles, fueled by high winds up to 45 mph and extremely low humidity, forcing multiple community evacuations and damaging the Eagle Point ski resort.
• Air tankers and helicopters have been grounded due to dangerous wind conditions, limiting firefighting efforts, while weather forecasts predict only slight improvements with continued potential for extreme fire behavior in the afternoons.
• Additional wildfires, including the Iron and Cherry fires southwest of Salt Lake City, have combined to cover about 91 square miles and are currently 38% contained, with red flag warnings issued across much of the Western U.S. due to ongoing hot, dry, and windy conditions.
• Authorities have implemented power shut-off warnings in parts of Utah and Arizona to reduce wildfire risks, and officials urge residents and visitors to prepare for potential outages and exercise caution during the high-risk period leading up to the July Fourth holiday.
• Utah Governor Spencer Cox has imposed temporary fireworks restrictions through July 5, noting that human activity has caused most fires this year, and officials nationwide are encouraging the public to avoid personal fireworks amid heightened wildfire dangers.