Utah Governor Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency and issued temporary fireworks restrictions on Friday, June 26, 2026, due to the Cottonwood Fire, which has burned more than 112 square miles in southern Utah. The fire began on Monday, June 22, 2026, and is currently the largest wildfire in the United States.

The Cottonwood Fire severely damaged the Eagle Point ski resort in Beaver County and forced evacuations in the area. Approximately 1,300 residents in Marysvale, Junction, and Circleville were placed on notice to prepare for evacuation on June 25. Smoke from the fire was visible in Colorado. Air quality at Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks experienced some haze in the Bryce area but was not significantly affected.

High winds reaching 45 miles per hour grounded air tankers and helicopters on Friday, June 26. Humidity levels were in the single digits. Alyssa Mason, a fire spokesperson, said, "We are seeing extreme fire behavior out there with some crown runs and definitely some spotting." She added, "If anything happens out there, any kind of spark hits fuels, it is more than likely going to start a fire and more than likely going get pretty big pretty quick."

The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City issued a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" warning for five Utah counties, the first time this type of warning had been issued. A red flag warning was also in effect for most of Utah, with similar warnings extending from Idaho to southern Arizona and New Mexico. Meteorologist Jason Straub stated that the region was experiencing "a full 48 hours of critical weather that we have not seen in Utah in the last five years."

Rocky Mountain Power issued a public safety power shutoff watch/warning for areas of central, southern, and eastern Utah through the weekend. While the cause of the Cottonwood Fire is unknown, Governor Cox stated that humans have been the cause of most fires in Utah so far in 2026. He said, "this year is different."