Five wildfires threaten Utah homes as evacuations spread

Five large wildfires threatened homes across Utah on Tuesday, forcing evacuations from Eureka to Beaver County and pushing smoke into the Salt Lake City area. The fires stretched from north of Salt Lake City to south of Provo. Strong southwest winds and single-digit humidity could keep conditions dangerous through the next 12 to 24 hours.

The Iron Fire in Juab County burned 31,314 acres and was 9% contained by Monday night, while evacuation orders remained in place for Eureka, a town of about 1,000 people, and nearby ranches. A Complex Incident Management Team took over the fire at 6 a.m. Monday and focused on securing the line around Eureka structures before any order could be lifted.

Farther west, the Cottonwood Fire in Beaver County grew to more than 24,000 acres, triggered mandatory evacuations and shut down a highway. Above Salt Lake City, the Bonneville Fire burned near the University of Utah and Red Butte Canyon, where residents were told to be ready to evacuate if conditions worsened. The Dutchman Fire was also burning in Utah County and remained under close watch by local crews.

On June 11, Utah fire and water officials said the state had recorded more than 230 fires in 2026, with a majority caused by people. State drought officials said the 2026 drought emergency stemmed from the warmest winter on record and the lowest snowpack levels ever recorded in Utah, conditions that left grasses and brush primed to burn earlier than normal.

National fire officials counted 31 large fires burning nationwide on Monday, with the Great Basin holding the largest share. In Utah, hundreds of firefighters were on the line as smoke drifted into populated areas around Salt Lake City and worsened air quality. Emergency managers and fire officials urged residents to stay alert, avoid anything that could spark a new blaze, and be ready to move quickly if the fire weather shifts again.