Utah Fire Destroys Ski Resorts as the Blaze Remains Uncontained

A wildfire originating in southern Utah has destroyed structures at Eagle Point Resort in the town of Beaver.

The Cottonwood Fire began Monday evening and, as of Wednesday morning, has consumed over 59,613 acres. The cause is still under investigation, but authorities believe the origin to be human-caused. As of press time, the fire is zero-percent contained.

Eagle Point is a beloved family resort comprising 600 lift-served acres across 43 runs in the Tushar Mountain range. It’s best known for its “Powder Fridays,” where the resort is closed Tuesday through Thursday, allowing for fresh tracks on the weekends. The ski area has been around since 1970 and is a cherished community hub where kids under 12 ski for free.

“We are thankful that to our knowledge, there have been no human casualties from the fire,” Eagle Point owner Shane Gadbaw wrote in a statement. “There has been significant property loss for local owners and the resort.”

Gusty winds, high temperatures, and dry conditions are creating what experts call the perfect storm for a wildfire to spread.

Smoke from the Cottonwood Fire, as well as two additional fires, the Iron and Hastings fires, is generating smoke in areas over 400 miles away, stretching to Salt Lake City in the north and all the way to Grand Junction, Silverton, and Mesa, Colorado.

“Fire behavior remains very active, and a massive air and ground response is currently engaged in protecting the area and building containment lines where they can be safely implemented,” according to a statement from the U.S. Forest Service.

Eagle Point will remain closed for the foreseeable future.

SKI has reached out to Ski Utah and will update accordingly. This is a developing story; updates will be made as more information becomes available.