Wyoming wildfires

[NJFFSA16]

7/31

Firefighters contained another major wildfire Thursday, but new
fires broke out in the Bridger-Teton National Forest and on Casper
Mountain.
The Casper fire is believed to have started when lightning
struck a tree Wednesday night. The fire smoldered until it burst
into flame Thursday. It has burned about 60 acres.
"Structures are within one-half mile of the fire," said Mark
Amann of the Denver-based Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center,
which tracks wildfires in the region.
None of the structures was threatened and no evacuations had
been ordered, but Wyoming Highway 251, the Casper Mountain Road,
was closed to nonresidents.
About 50 firefighters were on scene.
In the Bridger-Teton forest, a fire ignited about two miles
northwest of the Forest Park Campground. The Upper Cabin Creek fire
was discovered Thursday afternoon and had burned 5 acres in light
timber. A 20-member crew and two helicopters were on scene.
The Ditch Creek fire was fully contained Thursday after burning
370 acres outside Story in the Bighorn National Forest. It has cost
$1.1 million to fight.
"The big thing (Friday) is just taking care of little spot
fires and mopping up," Amann said. The blaze was started July 21
by lightning.
Most of the 195 firefighters still on scene were expected to
begin heading elsewhere Friday.
Crews on the Big Spring fire southwest of Buffalo were expected
to conduct a 480-acre burnout to reduce the risk of the fire
spreading to the south, fire information officer Lynn Pisano-Pedigo
said.
About 20 acres was intentionally burned Thursday to slow the
main fire's spread.
Because of the pending burnout, containment has dropped to 80
percent on the 2,900-acre fire, and estimated full containment,
which initially was projected for Thursday, has been pushed back to
Saturday.
"As soon as that burnout is completed the percentage should go
up," Amann said.
The fire has cost more than $2.1 million to fight. It started
July 19 by lightning.
Crews fully contained the Red Point fire in the Black Hills
National Forest on Wednesday night. The fire, which burned mainly
in South Dakota, had scorched 17,500 acres and cost $3.3 million to
fight.
Several major fires have erupted in Wyoming this summer, but no
structures have been lost. The first large fire started July 12 in
the Snake River Canyon. Last year, fires broke out in early June.

----
On the Net:
National Interagency Fire Center: http://www.nifc.gov

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

7/3

Containment of two of the state's remaining wildfires was
expected by Sunday evening as conditions for new fires grew to
dangerous levels and crews battled two small fires in Yellowstone
National Park.
The lightning-caused Red Creek fire was 95 percent contained
Sunday after burning 117 acres of ponderosa pine, downed timber and
grass on the southwest side of Casper Mountain.
More than 70 firefighters were battling the blaze, down from 160
on Saturday, said Mark Amann of the Rocky Mountain Coordination
Center in Denver. Containment was expected Monday.
"Crews worked very hard to contain this fire quickly,"
incident commander Eric Fransted said. "Now we are in the process
of mopping up."
Micro Road and South Circle Drive remained closed to everyone
but residents, and the sheriff's department also shut down a county
campground at an archery range for safety reasons.
Containment of the Big Spring fire southwest of Buffalo was
expected Tuesday.
The fire grew to 3,085 acres after an intentional burn to remove
vegetation in the path of the fire. Just 36 firefighters were left
on the fire, which has cost $2.2 million to fight.
"They had some interior action and they're still continuing
with mop up," Berglund said. "There was some torching and runs
that were made but so far they're holding their own."
Crews were also fighting two fires in Yellowstone, though
neither was threatening structures or any of the park's popular
features. The Judo fire, started Saturday by humans, burned 25
acres near the Canyon before it was contained, officials said.
The lightning-caused Grizzly fire, also reported Saturday, was
burning on 2 acres east of Yellowstone Lake. Fire crews were on
scene.
A red flag warning, meanwhile, was issued Sunday for the Bighorn
Mountains in north-central Wyoming, where dry lightning storms and
high winds were possible. A fire weather watch, the next step down,
was posted for parts of northeast Wyoming and the Black Hills.
"A red flag means there's going to be some difficulty in
control and danger of spreading and threats in the immediate
vicinity with any fires," Berglund said.
The largest blaze in Wyoming this summer, the Deep Lake fire in
the Beartooth Mountains north of Cody, has charred 6,886 acres. The
fire was 55 percent contained and likely won't be fully contained
until significant rain or snow falls.
----
On the Net:
National Interagency Fire Center: http://www.nifc.gov


(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

8/4

Crews contain Red Creek fire as Big Spring grows

(Undated-AP) -- Crews fully contained a fire on Casper Mountain
tonight but had trouble with a second fire near Buffalo.
The Big Spring fire is now threatening six homes on its north
side. The fire grew by 100 acres today after burning into a
drainage area.
Nearly 70 firefighters are battling the 31-hundred-acre blaze
and more are being ordered. Three helicopters are also on scene.
Containment has again been pushed back to Thursday.
Crews, meanwhile, contained the Red Creek fire at 117 acres
tonight. All crews have been demobilized and sent elsewhere.
A wildfire in Yellowstone National Park grew to 12 acres today
but is threatening no structures or park attractions.
Hand crews and smokejumpers are battling the Grizzly fire, which
is burning in a pine forest east of Yellowstone Lake.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

August 11th

PARKMAN, Wyo. (AP) - Twenty summer cabins in north-central
Wyoming were evacuated because of a quickly growing wildfire in the
Bighorn National Forest, officials said Monday.
The fire was one of scores in Wyoming sparked by lightning over
the weekend. Another temporarily closed roads in Jackson Hole,
including the main route through Grand Teton National Park.
At least seven fires in the state were burning on at least 100
acres. Across the West, there were 37 large fires.
In the Big Horn Mountains near the Montana border, occupants of
a summer home group were not being allowed to retrieve any items
because of the danger of the Little Horn 2 fire. The blaze is on a
ridge on the west side of the Little Bighorn Canyon above the
homes, Bighorn forest spokeswoman Patti Bell said.
"There is not immediate concern about the fire reaching the
area," she said. "However, structure protection is in place due
to concern about sparks and embers flying into the area of the
cabins. Crews are working to spray down the area to prevent any
sparks from taking light."
Lightning started the blaze Saturday about 15 miles west of
Parkman and a mile south of the Montana border. By Monday evening
it had grown to 125 acres, crisping ponderosa pine and Douglas fir
while spreading north and south. Containment was at zero percent.
Temperatures in the 90s, relative humidities in the low 20s and
gusty winds contributed to growth, Bell said. The forecast was for
"continuous high burning conditions with no relief in site for at
least the next week."
Sunday, local crews worked with two helicopters making water
bucket drops, and air tankers dropped five loads of retardant.
Crews were digging a fire break between the fire and the homes
at the base of the canyon. The area has very steep slopes, and
forest officials were controlling access into the canyon and trails
in the area.
Also in the Big Horns, a fire had burned 105 acres about 15
miles west of Kaycee.
Meanwhile, crews continued to battle the Big Spring fire
southwest of Buffalo. The fire was 80 percent contained, and full
containment was expected Thursday. The fire has cost more than $3.3
million to fight since it began July 19.
In northwest Wyoming, the Blacktail fire east of Jackson Hole
Airport forced park officials to close Highway 26/89/191 in Grand
Teton National Park for several hours Sunday evening. The Gros
Ventre Road into Kelly was also closed for a time. Some campers
left the Gros Ventre Campground because of smoke.
Rain and improved weather helped firefighters, and the highway
was open Monday morning along with all park services and
attractions. The 700-acre fire was 50 percent contained.
"All the services are operating under normal circumstances,"
park spokeswoman Joan Anzelmo said Monday.
Lightning over the weekend sparked 16 wildfires in Yellowstone
National Park. All were small and in remote areas and did not
affect tourist attractions. The largest, 600 acres, was being
allowed to burn itself out on Frank Island on Yellowstone Lake.
Six fires were started in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The
largest was 80 acres, on Lloyd Creek in the Gros Ventre Wilderness.
Seven wildfires were started on the Shoshone National Forest.
Fast responses by crews kept all but one to one-tenth of an acre or
less. The largest was 6 acres, located in the Crow Creek drainage
about 52 miles west of Cody.
On Saturday, a thunderstorm caused some flare-ups in the Deep
Lake fire west of Clark that started July 16. The back side of the
fire is being allowed to burn due to concerns for firefighter
safety in the extremely rugged terrain.
In southeast Wyoming, a fire spewing 5-foot flames threatened a
ranch about eight miles south of Lusk. The fire was started by
lightning on Saturday and had burned 120 acres.
On Monday, crews built lines and conducted burns to rob the fire
of fuel. They had 10 percent of the fire contained Monday
afternoon, according to fire spokeswoman Lesley Collins.
In southwest Wyoming, nearly 30 wildfires have started since
Friday, U.S. Bureau of Land Management officials said.
Lightning was blamed for a fire about 15 miles south of Rock
Springs, burning about 160 acres of mixed juniper and sage.
A fire on Pine Mountain near the Utah-Colorado border had burned
about 20 acres. A blaze in Uinta County had burned 15 acres north
of Interstate 80 and west of U.S. 189.

----
On the Net:
National Interagency Fire Center: http://www.nifc.gov
Yellowstone fires: http://www.nps.gov/yell/technical/fire
Grand Teton, Bridger-Teton forest fires:
http://www.tetonfires.com

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

8/12/03

By The Associated Press
A fast-growing wildfire closed the east entrance to Yellowstone
National Park on Tuesday night as crews continued efforts to
protect 20 cabins in the Big Horn Mountains from another blaze that
more than doubled in size.
The park's East Entrance Road was closed at about 5:30 p.m.
after the 1,900-acre fire crept to within one-eighth mile of the
road near Cub Creek, park spokeswoman Marsha Karle said.
The west end of the road was still open, and no structures were
threatened by the blaze, which was started Monday by lightning.
Helicopters were dropping water to prevent the fire from spreading,
Karle said.
Scores of other fires were burning elsewhere in Wyoming,
including Grand Teton National Park, south of Lusk, west of Kaycee,
southwest of Buffalo and in Sweetwater County.
In the Bighorn National Forest, crews were trying to hold ground
against the 700-acre Little Horn Two fire, which threatened to rain
embers down on the 20 evacuated cabins from a rocky ridge.
Winds from an overnight thunderstorm fanned the fire.
Crews scraped a line Tuesday on the steep, rocky slope above the
cabins, but the fire continued moving closer to the homes and
burned through fire retardant drops, forest spokeswoman Patti Bell
said.
The cabins were also fireproofed with water pumps and hoses, and
combustible materials were removed from roofs, gutters and around
the homes. A Hot Shots crew was on scene, and three more were
ordered.
Another round of dry lightning storms was expected Tuesday
night. Hot temperatures were also predicted to continue, with
little relief in sight.
"Structure protection will be one of the highest priorities
(Wednesday) with the Hot Shots working on any spotting from the
ridge trying to keep the fire from slopping over to the area of the
cabins," Bell said.
Elsewhere in the Big Horn Mountains area, the 125-acre Middle
Gate fire 15 miles west of Kaycee was 60 percent contained and full
containment was predicted for Tuesday evening.
A heavy helicopter dumped water on the fire Monday, according to
state Forestry Division spokesman Ray Weidenhaft.
"That kind of saved our bacon," he said. "We were able to get
some good support for the hand crews."
Southwest of Buffalo, firefighters contained the Big Spring fire
two days early at 3,340 acres. The blaze started three weeks ago
during a lightning storm and cost $3.3 million to fight.
In Grand Teton National Park, about 50 firefighters backed up by
helicopters hoped to fully contain the Blacktail fire by Wednesday.
U.S. 26/89/191 and Gros Ventre Road between Gros Ventre Junction
and Kelly were reopened after being closed temporarily.
The fire grew from 500 acres Monday to 2,730 acres Tuesday, but
was 50 percent contained.
"The fire is not moving as rapidly as it did yesterday," park
spokeswoman Joan Anzelmo said. "It's not growing like it did
yesterday. Things are looking much better."
Fifty miles north of Gillette, a fire started by lightning
Monday had burned 200 acres. It was 60 percent contained.
Similarly, a 260-acre fire eight miles south of Lusk was 50
percent contained. More than 115 firefighters were at the Rawhide
fire after more personnel were ordered, fire information officer
Lesley Collins said.
Buildings at a ranch about a mile away were being guarded but
were not considered in any immediate danger.
In northwest Wyoming, 12 wildfires had ignited in Bridger-Teton
National Forest, the largest of which was a 325-acre blaze burning
near the Gros Ventre Wilderness Area on Lloyd Creek. More than 60
firefighters were on scene, with full containment expected by
Thursday, forest spokesman Jason Anderson said.
Another seven small fires were burning in Shoshone National
Forest. Yellowstone National Park had 16 fires, including one that
burned an entire island in Yellowstone Lake.
In southwest Wyoming, nearly 30 wildfires have started since
Friday, U.S. Bureau of Land Management officials said.
Lightning was blamed for a fire about 15 miles south of Rock
Springs, burning about 160 acres of mixed juniper and sage.
A fire on Pine Mountain near the Utah-Colorado border had burned
about 20 acres. A blaze in Uinta County had burned 15 acres north
of Interstate 80 and west of U.S. 189.

----
On the Net:
National Interagency Fire Center: http://www.nifc.gov
Yellowstone fires: http://www.nps.gov/yell/technical/fire
Grand Teton, Bridger-Teton forest fires:
http://www.tetonfires.com
Big Horn National Forest fires: http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/bighorn


(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

8/21

A look at wildfires in Wyoming
By The Associated Press
EAST and GRIZZLY - East side of Yellowstone National Park.
18,300 acres combined. East entrance of park closed. More than 600
personnel involved in fighting it. Four private vehicles lost.
TYSON - In Yellowstone, 50 miles west of Cody, 150 acres. 80
percent contained.
UNION - Southwest Yellowstone Park. 400 acres. Being allowed to
burn in a remote area. Being monitored from the air.
NORRIS - Shoshone National Forest. Thirty-five miles west of
Cody, 1,000 acres. No containment. Being monitored from the air
because of its remote location.
NORTH BIGHORN COMPLEX - Bighorn National Forest. The Little Horn
2 fire has burned 7,400 acres and the Riley fire 850. Little Horn
is 70 percent contained. Riley 100 percent contained. Firefighters
began demobilizing Wednesday.
BLACKWATER: Shoshone National Forest. Blackwater Creek drainage
about 40 miles west of Cody. 200 acres. 10 percent contained. 25
firefighters assigned.
BOULDER BASIN: Shoshone National Forest. 6,000 acres. Near South
Fork of Shoshone River. No containment. 50 firefighters.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

8/25

Shoshone fires continue to burn

(Cody-AP) -- Several fires continue to burn today (Monday) in
the Shoshone (SHOW'-show-nee) National Forest to the east of
Yellowstone.
A ten-thousand-500-acre fire in the forest's Washakie Wilderness
is 20 percent contained. Firefighters are working to keep the
Boulder Basin fire from burning into drainage basins occupied by a
campground, several homes and historic structures.
The fire did see increased activity because of warmer and drier
weather but didn't spread a lot.
Firefighters doused several spot fires ahead of the main fire.
Crews also are working to keep the Boulder Basin fire from
spreading into the Boulder Creek area.
Two other fires are burning west of Cody. Neither fire was
threatening any structures.
And five fires burning in the Teton Wilderness Area, the
Jedediah Smith Wilderness Area, and near Jackson Lake in Grand
Teton National Park are being allowed to burn to improve forest
health.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

Winter Wildfire

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - A grass fire fanned by 50-mph winds
destroyed two structures and scorched 5,700 acres of prairie about
10 miles southeast of Cheyenne on Tuesday.
"We had a fairly large grass fire. In fact it's about five to
six miles long and one-and-a-half miles wide," said Laramie County
Fire District 1 Assistant Fire Chief J.D. Steele.
No one was injured, but a shed and vacant trailer were
destroyed, he said.
The cause was ruled accidental.
"It looks like it may have been someone cleaning ashes out of a
chimney," Steele said. "They may have done that (Monday) night,
disposed them out back and when the wind kicked up, it rekindled
them a little bit."
The blaze, which blackened private and state land, crossed into
Colorado by late afternoon.
Winds of 30-35 mph with gusts over 50 mph and hilly terrain
hampered containment efforts. The fire broke out shortly before 2
p.m. and was contained about 7:30 p.m.
The fire was near a wind farm but moved away from the turbines,
Steele said. Nearby cattle were herded from danger using
all-terrain vehicles.
About 50 firefighters from five county districts, F.E. Warren
Air Force Base, Wyoming National Guard and Nunn, Colo., answered
the call.
Laramie County graders helped carve out fire line, and a private
Cheyenne contractor provided water tender support, Steele said.
The fire was south of Chalk Bluffs Road near Rosetta Road.

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

April 15th

FORT WASHAKIE, Wyo. (AP) - A large wildfire bore down on this
town of 250 on the Wind River Indian Reservation on Sunday, burning
a vacant building and prompting a full evacuation.
No injuries were reported.
The fire was at least five miles long along the banks of the
Little Wind River, according to R.J. Shakespeare, chief medical
officer with the Fort Washakie Fire Department.
"It's right on the inside of town," he said.
The burned building was the former Bureau of Indian Affairs
headquarters for the reservation, which has been vacant for several
years. Other buildings in the BIA compound on the edge of town were
unscathed, but much of the north end of town was shrouded in smoke.
All roads into Fort Washakie were closed, including U.S. 287.
The fire went under the U.S. 287 bridge at the river, according to
a witness, Ernie Over, of Lander.
Ivan Posey, chairman of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe, said the
flames were being fueled by thick vegetation in the river bottom
and 25-mph wind gusting to 35 mph.
"There's some old cottonwood trees, so I think some of that is
pretty dry tinder," he said. "There's a lot of brush down there -
a lot of brush and a lot of dry grass."
The evacuees included residents of Morning Star Manor nursing
home, some of whom were wheeled out and put in ambulances and other
vehicles, according to Over.
Evacuees were being taken in shuttle buses to a Red Cross
shelter at Wind River High School in Ethete, about eight miles east
of Fort Washakie. An ambulance was also standing by at the school.
Fire units responded from all over Fremont County, including
Riverton and Lander, and a command center was set up at the Fort
Washakie Fire Department.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

July 21st

Fire breaks out in beetle-killed area near Yellowstone

CODY, Wyo. (AP) - A wildfire has broken out near a lodge amid
numerous dead trees east of Yellowstone National Park.
Firefighters expect to get the five-acre fire under control
sometime today (Thursday).
The area along the North Fork of the Shoshone River has worried
firefighters because of the potential for vast numbers of
beetle-killed trees to fuel a severe wildfire.
But forest spokesman Gordon Warren says a new tree-thinning
program in the beetle-killed areas is helping firefighters keep
today's fire under control.
A five-acre fire is also burning northwest of the West Thumb of
Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park. But that fire is
being allowed to burn for forest management reasons.
Drying grass has meanwhile prompted the Bureau of Land
Management to enact fire restrictions on B-L-M land in eight
eastern counties: Johnson, Sheridan, Crook, Weston, Converse,
Natrona, Goshen and Platte.


(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

July 25th

MOSKEE, Wyo. (AP) - Evacuated residents returned to their homes
near this northeast Wyoming town, and fire crews were hopeful that
cooler, wet weather Monday would help them make progress on a group
of wildfires that had burned about 2,500 acres near the
Wyoming-South Dakota line.
Information officer Brenda Bowen said the group of five fires
was 10 percent contained. Most of the fires were only a few acres
in size and completely lined, Bowen said, though one, the Cement
fire, near Moskee, remained a concern. More than 240 personnel were
fighting the fires early Monday, but the number was expected to
grow later in the day with the arrival of a special management
team, she said.
The Cement fire started on Black Hills National Forest land and
was burning through trees and heavy slash on steep terrain, she
said.
Residents of 11 homes evacuated voluntarily over the weekend had
returned by Monday, she said, and cooler weather and rain were
expected to aid firefighting efforts.
"They should be able to get in and access some of the area they
weren't able to before because of extreme fire concerns," Bowen
said.
Rain-slickened roads were a concern Monday, and fire crews were
mindful of the potential for gusty conditions and increased fire
activity, she said. Firefighters hoped to make progress on the fire
while the weather remained relatively cool and conditions more
favorable, she said. Temperatures were expected to return to the
90s by later in the week.
"So we'll work as quick as we can," Bowen said.
The fires in Crook County are the first to tap into a state and
local insurance account to help pay for the cost of fighting large
wildfires, according to the Wyoming State Forestry Division. The
account has $3.6 million.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

wyoming 2006

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Gov. Dave Freudenthal declared a state of
emergency Tuesday afternoon as winds pushed a fast-moving wildfire
toward hundreds of evacuated homes south of Casper.
The fire, first reported Monday morning, had burned about 7,000
acres by Tuesday evening with no containment, the governor's office
said.
Officials said winds were driving flames and had forced
firefighters to pull back in places Tuesday afternoon and
concentrate on structural protection.
"They've put some pretty big dozer lines around the radio
towers up there, and where they can around the subdivision. But the
problem is where the wind kicks up and starts spotting over the
lines," said State Forester Bill Crapser, who said there were
temperatures into the 90s and wind gusts of 27 mph Tuesday evening.
And, Crapser said, conditions weren't expected to improve
Wednesday.
"The weather report isn't favorable for tomorrow," he said.
"We have more air resources that we've been able to spring loose
from other fires coming in tomorrow."
The fire has burned on areas of Casper Mountain, about five
miles south of Casper - Wyoming's second-largest city, near the
center of the state.
Freudenthal said Tuesday afternoon that his office was pushing
to get more federal firefighting resources assigned to the fire.
"It's really more of everything," Freudenthal said, describing
what resources are needed. "And there's stuff moving, we've got
another helicopter coming. Unfortunately the whole country is a
little stretched, so we continue to push."
A top-level federal fire-management team from Utah was scheduled
to take over management of the firefighting operations Tuesday
afternoon.
"Part of the difficulty is the extensive amount of beetle-kill
(dead trees), and the extremely dry weather we've had,"
Freudenthal said.
Crapser said at about 3:30 p.m. that significant winds had come
up in the preceding hour.
"We've had to pull people off the line and put them in a
structural protection mode, where they're just trying to protect
houses in the vicinity," Crapser said.
"We're still calling for resources all around the country. With
the fire activity going on about the country, resources are hard to
come by," Crapser said. "It's not looking really good up there
right now."
Crapser said firefighters were pulled back from the line in
places because embers from the fire were blowing across fire lines
and creating spot fires behind firefighters.
Crapser estimated about 225 firefighters were on the fire, but
said he expected numbers to go up significantly as more crews are
pulled off of other fires elsewhere. He said local firefighters and
volunteer fire departments are using fire engines to try to protect
houses in the area.
Rick Young, spokesman for the Natrona County Fire Protection
District, said authorities on Tuesday morning had ordered the
evacuation of several subdivisions on Casper Mountain. He said they
hold hundreds of homes.
Residents were allowed in Monday to remove valuables from their
homes and cabins, but on Tuesday the area was closed completely. A
cabin, outbuilding and a private pickup truck have been reported
burned, but no injuries were reported.
"We have three that are in immediate danger, that we're not
sure are going to make it or not at this point," Young said of
homes in the area of the fire. "And there's no way to get in to
them."
Conditions had forced firefighters to pull back as much as 2
miles, Young said.
"Right now, things are not going well for us, the winds have
picked up," Young said. "Smoke's so bad, we're losing visuals."
Young said the fire was heading southeast, moving toward houses,
radio communication towers and a local ski area.
---
On the Net:
Casper fire evacuation map:
http://www.casperwy.gov/documents/Au...cuationMap.pdf

[NJFFSA16]

August 16th

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - More firefighters and equipment arrived
Wednesday in attempts to fend off a wildfire threatening hundreds
of houses near Casper.
"We haven't lost any homes, but it's real close," said State
Forester Bill Crapser.
The fire expanded rapidly in shifting winds and headed toward a
subdivision of about 50 homes, Crapser said.
The fire was burning on Casper Mountain, about five miles south
of Wyoming's second-largest city. The lightning-sparked blaze had
already burned nearly 10,000 acres, or 15 square miles, since
Monday. Gov. Dave Freudenthal declared a state of emergency
Tuesday.
A top-level federal fire management team took control Wednesday
morning.
An estimated 300 homes in the heavily forested area were ordered
evacuated Monday and Tuesday. More evacuation orders were likely,
Crapser said.
Officials at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise,
Idaho, said all available equipment and crews are fully engaged on
more than 50 large wildfires across the West.
Idaho led the nation with 15 large wildfires Wednesday,
including several on the fringes of rural mountain communities.
The state Department of Environmental Quality issued what it
said was its first "red" air quality alert for the populous Boise
Valley after drifting smoke from wildfires sent ozone pollution to
unhealthy levels.
Elsewhere, firefighters were battling a lightning-sparked
wildfire that had doubled in size to 40,000 acres, or 62 square
miles, in Elko County, Nev. Army troops were assigned to two fires
that have blackened more than 140 square miles in northern
Washington state.
Nationwide, more than 6.3 million acres have burned this year,
well above the 10-year average of less than 4 million acres burned
by this time of year, according to the NIFC.
"We're focusing on protecting community infrastructure,
historical resources and precious watersheds," said Rose Davis, a
Forest Service spokeswoman at the NIFC. "We need to look at where
we can be the most effective with what we have, knowing these fires
could keep burning for another month or so."
---
On the Net:
National Interagency Fire Center: http://www.nifc.gov/

[NJFFSA16]

August 17th

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Crews made progress on Thursday toward
controlling the wildfire that has forced the evacuation of hundreds
of homes this week south of Casper.
Bill Crapser, Wyoming state forester, said early Thursday
evening that the number of firefighters on the scene had steadily
increased this week to more than 400. He said weather forecasters
were calling for cooler conditions on Friday, which should help
suppression efforts.
"I guess we'll say we're guardedly optimistic," Crapser said.
"But nobody's willing to celebrate quite yet. The wind has done
enough strange things to us the last couple of days that we're not
quite ready to celebrate quite yet."
The fire grew to just over 11,000 acres - more than 17 square
miles - by Thursday evening, Crapser said. That's up from a
reported 10,000 acres that morning.
"We had a little bit of growth from the northeast corner this
afternoon," Crapser said, adding that winds during the day had
gusted up to 50 mph.
The fire was classified as 30 percent contained Thursday
morning, but Crapser said he expects that figure would rise to
about 50 percent containment when managers assessed the situation
Thursday evening.
Crews were able to keep the fire from burning any homes on
Thursday. Since the fire started on Monday, it has burned four
cabins, but no injuries have been reported. Crapser said about 400
homes have been evacuated.
The fire is burning on Casper Mountain about 5 miles south of
Casper, Wyoming's second-largest city near the center of the state.
Gov. Dave Freudenthal toured the fire Thursday morning. In a
telephone interview afterward, he credited firefighters with
stopping the fire as it made several runs toward developed areas
Wednesday night.
Freudenthal said he'd spoken with lawmakers about the cost of
the firefighting effort, and had their support to spend what it
takes to protect homes.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency pledged to help the
state cover three-quarters of the eligible portion of the cost.
Freudenthal said the costs at this point are unknown, but said they
would amount to several million dollars.
"When you bring in these big helicopters and some of these
fixed-wing aircraft, it's expensive," Freudenthal said.
Rick Young, spokesman for the Natrona County Fire Protection
District, said Thursday that engine teams from local fire
departments played a critical role in protecting houses from flames
in the thickly timbered subdivisions.
Young estimated that as many as 100 local firefighters from
departments including Casper, Mills and Bar Nunn, were working in
shifts around the clock.
"It's vital, just with the shortage of resources across the
United States," Young said of the support from the local engine
crews. "We rely on them so much. It's absolutely incredible, the
support we've been getting from them."

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

August 24th

KAYCEE, Wyo. (AP) - A wildfire was burning in an area near where
famed outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid used to hide out.
The fire had burned about 12,000 acres in the rugged area of the
Hole-in-the-Wall, about 20 miles southwest of Kaycee.
The fire was started by lightning on Tuesday, according to Diane
Martin, with the Casper Interagency Fire Dispatch.
Firefighters had no containment as of Thursday afternoon, Martin
said.
In the 1890s, Cassidy and his band of outlaws made use of the
Hole-in-the-Wall area as a hideout after robbing banks and trains.
One of the names for the group was the "Hole-in-the-Wall Gang."

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)