The raging Cottonwood Fire near Beaver has been called one of the “most destructive” in Utah history, and for the first time Monday, fire officials gave an estimate of just how much damage has been done.

Danon Hulet, southwest area manager with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, told Beaver residents gathered at a community meeting that at least 150 structures have been destroyed by the blaze.

That number is preliminary, he noted, as the 93,000-acre wildfire continued to burn at 4% containment as of early Tuesday. A containment figure marks the percentage of a fire’s perimeter where crews feel confident flames won’t cross.

Fire crews haven’t been able to conduct a full assessment as hot spots continue to spur and fallen trees and power lines have left some areas inaccessible.

“That number will be fluctuating over the next couple of days as we continue assessments,” Hulet added.

The broad figure includes cabins, homes and RVs, as well as smaller structures, such as sheds and outhouses. Condos in the region that have multiple owners but are connected as one building, Hulet said, are currently being counted as one structure.

Eagle Point Resort, the family ski and snowboard area nestled in the Tushar Mountains, has also separately reported extensive damage to its lifts and lodge.

Many other structures saved

Hulet added that firefighters have been able to protect 130 structures. And the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office was able to coordinate ahead of time and have residents move some RVs out of the area before flames moved toward them.

“I can’t believe some of the loss that has happened,” said Sheriff Cody Black during the community meeting. “This is a magnitude that I don’t understand.”

The sheriff’s office also escorted some residents to their properties Tuesday to assess and photograph the destruction. Others, though, are still waiting to hear how their properties fared.

A spokesperson for Rocky Mountain Power said Monday at the community meeting that it will take a lot of time and money before power can be returned to the area, including for the structures that weren’t damaged.

The utility company has lost most of its power transformers on Beaver Mountain, which the spokesperson said have been “melted to the ground.”

A cost estimate for property damage has not yet been assessed.

As of early Tuesday, fire suppression costs for the Cottonwood Fire alone had topped $20,995,181.

“This number does not reflect the cost of damage to infrastructure, private property, etc., only the costs for fire suppression,” said Brianne Emery, the deputy director of program services with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.