Utah fire update: Governor declares state of emergency as Cottonwood Fire forces evacuations

The National Weather Service issued a rare "Particularly Dangerous Situation" warning as dry, windy conditions provided fuel for more fires across the western US.

The United States was at National Preparedness Level 3, the third-highest designation in the federal framework for wildfire emergency readiness, with 6,762 personnel assigned to 70 active incidents.

The Cottonwood Fire in a sparsely populated area of southern Utah started Monday

One of six large wildfires burning in Utah, it severely damaged the Eagle Point ski resort in Beaver County, forcing mandatory evacuations.