State Forester Kelly Norris told the joint appropriations committee at a meeting in Dubois this week that wildfires in Wyoming are getting worse.
“Six of the largest fires in Wyoming history have occurred in the last two years,” Norris said.
A breakout of three large fires last week led Governor Mark Gordon to issue an emergency declaration for additional federal resources. The largest, the Red Canyon Fire, has burned over 110,000 acres east of Thermopolis.
Over 700 wildfires have burned about 150,000 acres this year. Though firefighters have successfully kept most fires relatively small, Norris said that’s way more than this time last year. The majority have ignited on state and private land.
And fire season is far from over.
Forecasts show warmer temperatures than normal will continue and large fires have historically broken out in late August and September.
“Looking into the rest of 2025, Wyoming is dry and we continue to have high risk,” she said.
Several national forests, including the Bridger-Teton National Forest, both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and almost every county in the state have fire restrictions in place to prevent human ignitions.
“We don’t remember a time of this ever occurring,” Norris said, of the widespread restrictions.
That includes Teton County, which is experiencing at least “severe” drought conditions for the first time since 2022, contributing to a “very high” fire risk.
Teton Conservation District’s Water Resources Specialist David Lee said this year’s snowpack melted fast and precipitation has been low.
“That’s kind of a bad combo, I would argue, for fire seasons,” he said.
Teton County has had 40 wildfires this year, nearly double about this time last year according to Teton Interagency Fire, but similar to the state, most have stayed small — under an acre. The agency says they’ve put out about double the number of abandoned campfires as this time last year.
Western Wyoming has seen less precipitation than the eastern side of the state which has led to a greater risk due to drier conditions.
