Utah RV family smells smoke at campsite, then flees as wildfire races to within 15 feet

What began as a normal workday in an RV at Little Cottonwood Campground in Fishlake National Forest, Utah, turned into a filmed evacuation when the family spotted a wildfire less than a mile away and later saw it come to within about 15 feet of their campsite as they left.

What happened?

Posted by Leena Middaugh - Overland Mom (@mamaofnowhere), the TikTok video follows the family's fast exit from Little Cottonwood Campground in Fishlake National Forest after smoke appeared nearby.

@mamaofnowhere

A wildfire that started less than a mile from our camp at Little Cottonwood Campground in Fishlake National Forest forced us to evacuate today. What started as a normal workday from the RV quickly turned into smoke on the horizon, a confirmed wildfire, and breaking camp to get our family to safety. Within 30 minutes, we had confirmed the fire, contacted authorities, waited for responders to arrive, and were on the road. Watching a wildfire grow in real time is a sobering reminder of how quickly conditions can change in the backcountry. One thing that stood out throughout the day was how quickly the fire layer on OnX Offroad updated as the situation developed. Having access to near real-time information can make a huge difference when you're camping and traveling in remote areas. We're grateful for the firefighters and first responders working this incident and thankful our family made it out safely.

♬ original sound - Leena Middaugh - Overland Mom

The video opens with a tense remark: "Not every day do you expect to evacuate, uh, because of a forest fire." As flames grow on the horizon, someone off-camera says, "Getting bad, dude," while another responds, "Oh, my God. What? Look at that fire."

The creator said the smell of smoke hit while the family was working on a computer inside the RV. After going outside and seeing smoke in the air, they said they went back for the truck keys, drove down to the fire, and made sure authorities had been called.

By the time 24 minutes had passed, the family said they were packed up and heading down the mountain. The creator said the fire had been about three-quarters of a mile from the campground when they first noticed it and was roughly 15 feet from their campsite as they rolled out.

Why does it matter?

Wildfire smoke poses serious health risks, especially for children, older adults, and people with asthma or other lung and heart conditions.

Hotter, drier conditions can make it easier for fires to ignite and spread, putting homes, jobs, tourism, and public infrastructure at risk and straining firefighters and emergency response systems.

It also threatens wildlife and the habitats animals rely on for food and shelter. 

At one point, someone in the clip remarks, "The animals have to run away from the fire."

"Yes, they do have to run away," another responds. 

What are people saying?

The creator's caption summed up the experience this way: "What started as a normal workday from the RV quickly turned into smoke on the horizon, a confirmed wildfire, and breaking camp to get our family to safety," later describing it as a "pretty crazy afternoon."

The caption also said that, "One thing that stood out throughout the day was how quickly the fire layer on OnX Offroad [a map service] updated as the situation developed. Having access to near real-time information can make a huge difference when you're camping and traveling in remote areas."

In the comments, one viewer pointed to how quickly the situation may have escalated, writing: "It's burned 24,000 acres already."

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.