SAM Magazine—Beaver, Utah, June 25, 2026—
Credit: Marc LeducThe Cottonwood Fire has reportedly caused significant property damage to Eagle Point Resort, according to photos shared with news outlets.
The fire was first reported on Monday afternoon, June 22, and has since grown quickly, burning nearly 71,000 acres as of noon EDT Thursday. It is currently 0 percent contained and officials have said it was human caused, although the exact cause is still being investigated.
Eagle Point owner and general manager Shane Gadbaw published a statement Wednesday afternoon acknowledging there had been “significant property loss for local owners and the resort. Eagle Point will be closed for a considerable time to recover from the catastrophe.”
Gadbaw’s full statement:
“We are incredibly grateful for the firefighters and first responders who are working tirelessly to protect our community. Right now, we are focused on supporting emergency response efforts. We are in close communication with fire authorities and local agencies. Conditions at the resort remain dangerous, and we are monitoring the situation closely. We are thankful that to our knowledge, there have been no human casualties from the fire. There has been significant property loss for local owners and the resort. Eagle Point will be closed for a considerable time to recover from the catastrophe. Once we can safely return to Eagle Point to assess the extent of the damage, we will share a detailed update with the public.”
A Tuesday press release from the resort said Eagle Point had fully complied with evacuation orders and Rocky Mountain Power had de-energized all power lines in the area to help mitigate the fire’s spread.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox said on Wednesday there was a “good chance” the Cottonwood Fire was “already the most destructive fire in the state’s history” in terms of the amount of property that had been lost. “It’s certainly catastrophic,” he said, adding that the responding agencies are more concerned about the Cottonwood Fire than he’s experienced in the past.
“I’ve never seen them this concerned,” said Cox. “These are some of the toughest people I’ve never met. I’ve never seen them so scared.”
Cooler temperatures, higher humidities, and consistent cloud cover yesterday and today have helped moderate fire behavior, according to the most recent update from wildfire management agencies including Fishlake National Forest. Scattered rain showers are expected into the afternoon, which are forecast to turn into thunderstorms with gusty winds up to 25-35 mph. The fire is expected to continue moving east along the canyons.
The two closest ski areas to Eagle Point are Brian Head Resort, more than 3 hours to the south, and Sundance Resort, more than 4 hours to the north. Eagle Point has 43 trails served by five lifts with 600 skiable acres and several structures on the resort.