Utah Faces 48 Hours of Critical Fire Risk as Cottonwood Fire Holds Near 72,000 Acres
Updated
Updated · KSL.com · Jun 26
Utah Faces 48 Hours of Critical Fire Risk as Cottonwood Fire Holds Near 72,000 Acres
3 articles · Updated · KSL.com · Jun 26
Summary
Red flag warnings now cover nearly all of Utah through Sunday in some areas, with firefighters preparing for what officials called the state's most critical 48-hour fire weather in five years.
The threat is being driven by a Pacific Northwest low-pressure system pushing hot, dry Mojave air into Utah, with strong winds and single-digit humidity expected to accelerate existing fires and spark new ones.
The Cottonwood Fire east of Beaver grew only about 2,000 acres in 24 hours to nearly 72,000 acres after storms crossed the area, but the National Weather Service singled it out in a particularly dangerous situation alert.
Storms also dropped as much as a half-inch of rain on parts of the fire and more than an inch in parts of the Salt Lake Valley, offering limited short-term help.
July could bring broader relief: most of Utah has a 40% to 50% chance of above-normal precipitation, a key outlook as about 95% of the state remains in at least severe drought.