- An estimated 150 buildings were destroyed in the Cottonwood Fire.
- The fire has grown to 94,000 acres with 4% containment as of Monday.
BEAVER — An estimated 150 buildings have been destroyed in the Cottonwood Fire burning east of Beaver.
The tally includes outbuildings, RVs, condos and homes, fire managers announced during a community meeting. Officials said the numbers might change as more damage assessments take place.
The fire in Beaver and Piute counties has grown to nearly 94,000 acres as of Monday, and crews reached 4% containment. The area saw calmer weather, but crews are also preparing for more dangerous conditions expected later this week.
Burning debris rolled downhill on Sunday, reigniting part of the fire in the North Creek area and creating a large column of smoke. But the flare-up stayed inside the fire lines crews had built and burned back into the main fire.
More than 1,200 firefighters are battling the blaze.
Although dozens of buildings have burned, officials said Monday 130 structures in the area of the fire are still standing.
"Honestly, though, there's a lot of hope up there. We've had some wins. There's little islands of green. There's little islands of homes that were saved and condos that were saved. Some of our campgrounds are in great shape. You know, the lakes. So it makes me feel better about that. There is hope," Beaver County Commissioner Tammy Pearson said.
Some homeowners will be able to return to their homes with escorts on Tuesday to take photos but will not be able to go through their homes. They include homeowners from Eagle Point, Kents Lake, Merchant Valley, Hi-Lo Estates and Whispering Pines.
Alyssa Mason, public information officer for the Cottonwood Fire, said that's for insurance reasons to ensure assessments are accurate.
"Because if you go in and you start touching then that might hurt some of those claims," she said. "We need that documentation, and that's going to help you in the long run."
