Cottonwood Fire Explodes Past 10000 Acres As Firefighters Brace For Extreme Conditions

Beaver, UT – The Cottonwood Fire has burned beyond 10,000 acres as of the morning update on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, with containment still at 0%.

Night operations crews worked through the night reinforcing defensive positions focused on protecting structures and building primary dozer lines. Officials reported difficult conditions due to poor humidity recovery, which prevented the fire from easing overnight.

Fire behavior remained intense, with expectations of similarly extreme activity continuing throughout the day.

Aircraft are scheduled to conduct a reconnaissance flight to map the fire perimeter and update acreage estimates. Authorities stated that unauthorized drone activity is strictly forbidden and would immediately ground firefighting aircraft. A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place across the fire zone and surrounding airspace.

Officials emphasized that firefighter and public safety remains the highest priority. The public has been instructed to stay completely away from the mountain and surrounding areas to allow safe operations and emergency access. Unauthorized entry into or near the incident area is described as creating serious safety risks and interfering with firefighting efforts.

Additional firefighting resources and equipment are currently being deployed to the incident. The Complex Incident Management Team Great Basin Team 5 is scheduled to receive a briefing at 6:00 p.m. and will assume command of the fire on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.