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A new wildfire started Tuesday near the Johnson and Campbell county line, south of Fortification Road and northwest of Gillette. The Livingston Draw Fire is estimated at 500 to 1,000 acres. County and Bureau of Land Management teams are responding.
A bit to the north and east, fire managers on the Short Draw Fire are hoping to ensure that fire is 100 percent contained and controlled by the end of Friday. It’s currently 74 percent contained at nearly 35,000 acres.
Light snow fell on the Fish Creek Fire near Togwotee Pass, helping firefighters progress to completing 79 percent of the containment work they hope to do. A pre-evacuation notice for residents in the areas of Brooks Lake, Pinnacle Drive and Breccia Drive has been downgraded to a Level 1, “get ready,” status. But the fire continues to smolder. Firefighters and heavy equipment will continue to work along the Highway 26/287 corridor. They ask the public to drive with caution, especially with snowy conditions over the pass.
Albany County officials lifted a get-ready-to-leave notice for residents living near the Bear Creek Fire late Tuesday. The fire is burning north of Laramie in the Sybille Canyon and has not grown since Saturday. It’s now 80 percent contained.
South of Laramie, however, county residents west of Highway 287 are still under a separate pre-evacuation notice due to the Pearl Fire burning in northern Colorado.
The Pearl Fire is burning 10 miles south of the stateline. It’s estimated to be about 128 acres and is only about 5 percent contained. While there are ample ground crews and aerial units on scene, Forest Service officials say they’re facing tough terrain and high winds.
Gusty winds are expected across the state Wednesday evening. Fire departments ask for folks not to park on dry grass.
