Utah News Dispatch
After fire and flooding, Cox declares a state of emergency in 3 Utah counties
A section of highway 137 near Beaver, Utah, after being damaged by fire and flooding in a photo shared on July 15, 2026. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Forest Service)
Gov. Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency Wednesday in three rural Utah counties after weeks of devastating wildfire and floods, a first step to unlock possible federal disaster aid.
The governor’s declaration for Beaver, Piute and Sevier counties comes after the Cottonwood Fire — for a time the largest in the nation — burned more than 97,000 acres in the area’s Tushar Mountains. Monsoon rains over its burn scar caused flash flooding and flows of debris over the weekend, forcing evacuations and causing damage to homes, roads, and drinking water systems.
“Utahns have endured an incredibly difficult wildfire season, and now many of these same communities are facing life-threatening flooding caused by those fires,” Cox said in a prepared statement, thanking the crews keeping communities safe.
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The governor’s office noted this wildfire season is one of the state’s most destructive in recent memory, torching 380,000 acres statewide. The Babylon Fire, burning in southeast Utah, is among the biggest in the country, at more than 107,000 acres and 95% containment.
Cox noted his order would help provide “every available resource” to help local communities respond and prepare for flood risks throughout the summer. The move activates an emergency operations plan, allowing the state to pursue hazard mitigation funding and request help from other states and the federal government if needed.
President Donald Trump has said repeatedly that he’d like to reduce the size and scope of the federal government’s role in managing disasters, saying last summer that “We want to wean off of FEMA and we want to bring it down to the state level.”
In Utah, Cox said recent flooding in Wayne County claimed the lives of Provo Fire Captain Spencer Long, his wife Katrina and their sons Reid, Thayne and Gage, calling the deaths a “heartbreaking loss.”
“It’s a painful reminder that flooding can become deadly in moments, particularly in and below burn scar areas,” the governor said. “We urge every Utahn to heed warnings, avoid flooded areas and never underestimate the power of moving water.”
State Forester Jamie Barnes agreed. She said the danger will remain for some time.
“Burn scars can remain highly unstable for years, creating dangerous flooding and debris flows with even relatively small storms,” Barnes said in a prepared statement.
Eighteen Utah counties have declared local emergencies related to wildfire, flooding or drought since April, according to the governor’s office. The executive order expires after 30 days unless extended by the Legislature.
