Eagle Point owner vows to rebuild after Cottonwood Fire devastates community

The Cottonwood Fire — called the most destructive wildfire in Utah history — swept through Eagle Point Resort east of Beaver, Utah, in late June 2026, destroying the Canyonside Lodge, damaging four of five chairlifts, and leveling 145 homes and condos.

Owner Shane Gadbaw, who has operated the resort for 17 years, says the road to recovery will be long but that he is committed to rebuilding. Thirteen of Eagle Point’s 15 full-time employees were laid off. The two who remain — the general manager and the marketing director — both lost their own homes in the fire.

The Cottonwood Fire has burned more than 96,000 acres and was roughly 56% contained as of early July. Beaver County officials are now bracing for post-fire flooding that could threaten the county’s water supply.

This Deseret New video, “Eagle Point Owner Vows to Rebuild After Cottonwood Fire Devastates Community,” highlights the hope of a small town that continues to battle the fire.