A slew of large wildfires have crews in the northern third of the state busy.
The largest is the Red Canyon Fire, about 14 miles east of Thermopolis. It was estimated to be about 15,000 acres by Thursday afternoon after first being reported Wednesday evening.
The fire is not approaching town and highways are open. But the Hot Springs County Sheriff’s Office advised immediate evacuation from the Red Hole, Kirby Creek and Buffalo Creek areas (see the red shaded area in the map embedded below). Black Mountain Road is closed just west of Kirby Creek Road. According to the Bureau of Land Management, homes west of Kirby Creek on Black Mountain Road are not currently under the evacuation order. An evacuation center is open at the Thermopolis Fire Hall.
Crews are also responding to the Sleeper Ranch Fire northeast of Meeteetse. First reported Thursday morning, it’s about 1,000 acres, according to the Watch Duty app.
The Spring Creek Fire about 10 miles southeast of Ten Sleep is also 1,000 acres. Washakie County Emergency Management posted on Facebook a Type 3 Incident Management Team has been ordered to take command, indicating a more complex, organized and possibly entrenched response. That team will also provide some support for the Big Spring Fire. They’ll be using the Ten Sleep Rodeo Grounds as their base of operations.
Washakie County said its crews, in partnership with several local and federal agencies, have been working around the clock since Wednesday night to control multiple fires ignited by a passing lightning storm.
The western side of the state is under a red flag warning Thursday evening. The National Weather Service says very dry conditions and gusty winds could cause erratic and extreme fire behavior. Officials are asking people to help minimize human-caused fires by making sure campfires are out cold, not flicking live cigarette butts outside and trying to avoid parking on tall grasses.
