Utah’s governor restricted fireworks and declared a state of emergency Friday ahead of the July 4th holiday week as the nation’s largest wildfire grew much bigger. The National Weather Service issued a rare extreme weather warning as dry, windy conditions provided fuel for many more fires across the western United States.
The Cottonwood Fire in southern Utah, which started Monday, reached nearly 111 square miles (287 square kilometers) Friday and was entirely uncontained, forestry officials said. One of six large wildfires burning across Utah, it severely damaged the Eagle Point ski resort in Beaver County, forcing mandatory evacuations.
