Cottonwood Fire forces Eagle Point Resort closure in southern Utah

The Cottonwood Fire forced Eagle Point Resort to suspend operations and shut down as mandatory evacuations spread across Eagle Point, Merchant Valley, HiLo Estates, Arrowhead Summer Homes and surrounding areas in southern Utah. State Route 153 closed in both directions between mile markers 2 and 25, cutting access as firefighters battled the blaze.

The fire started on June 22, 2026, near Cottonwood Campground on the Beaver Ranger District of Fishlake National Forest, about 3:30 p.m. near mile marker 5 on State Route 153. Strong winds helped drive the fire’s early growth, pushing it to about 10,000 acres by 10:45 p.m. Monday night. Incident reports put the blaze at 59,613 acres with 0% containment, and crews were still confronting dry conditions and strong winds as it grew to more than 92,000 acres.

Roads leading toward the fire zone were closed, and Rocky Mountain Power had de-energized power lines in the area. Beaver City also barred public use of the pressurized irrigation system because firefighting crews were drawing water from the irrigation pond. The resort asked guests with upcoming lodging reservations to contact staff about rescheduling or cancellation options.

By June 24, Great Basin Team 5 had assumed command of the incident. Eagle Point owner Shane Gadbaw said the resort suffered significant property loss and would remain closed for a considerable amount of time, although some parts of the property were still standing after the fire. Utah officials also declared an emergency and restricted fireworks ahead of July Fourth as fire conditions worsened across the state.