SALT LAKE CITY — Wildfires intensified across the western United States on Monday as extreme heat, strong winds and exceptionally dry conditions complicated firefighting efforts, prompting evacuations, emergency declarations and renewed warnings from fire officials ahead of the Independence Day holiday.
The largest active wildfire in the country, the Cottonwood Fire in southern Utah, continued to expand after rapid growth over recent days, with firefighters facing gusty winds, very low humidity and drought conditions that limited containment efforts, according to state and federal fire authorities. Air operations have at times been restricted by hazardous weather, while evacuation orders remained in place for threatened communities.
Authorities said three firefighters were killed and two others injured over the weekend while responding to separate wildfires along the Colorado-Utah border, underscoring the dangers confronting emergency crews as fires burn across multiple western states. Officials said the deaths occurred while crews were battling rapidly spreading blazes fueled by hot, windy conditions.
The National Weather Service maintained critical fire weather warnings across parts of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and neighboring states, citing strong winds, critically low humidity and dry vegetation that could support rapid fire growth and extreme fire behavior. Fire managers warned that existing fires could spread quickly and that new ignitions would be difficult to contain under prevailing conditions.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox has declared a state of emergency and imposed restrictions on fireworks in an effort to reduce the risk of additional human-caused fires, while Colorado Governor Jared Polis has also declared an emergency and mobilized state resources, including the National Guard, to assist firefighting operations.
The National Interagency Coordination Center has reported dozens of large active wildfires nationwide, with hundreds of thousands of acres burning across the West. Officials urged residents in affected areas to follow evacuation orders, monitor local emergency information and avoid activities that could spark additional fires.
The wildfire threat coincides with broader heat affecting much of the United States. Meteorologists said a persistent pattern of high temperatures, low humidity and gusty winds has increased fire danger across much of the interior West, while an expanding heat wave is forecast to affect central and eastern parts of the country during the week.
Fire officials said crews would continue suppression efforts where conditions permit while closely monitoring forecasts for any changes that could either aid containment or further intensify wildfire activity.
