Building 'likely lost' as two wildfires grow for miles in Wyoming

CASPER, Wyo. — Two wildfires broke out in Wyoming on Sunday, putting more communities on alert and affecting traffic on highways. According to updates on InciWeb, strong winds, low humidity and unseasonably warm temperatures caused the fires to spread, while the wind also disabled aerial firefighting efforts for hours.

Elk Fire – Sheridan County

The Moose Fire was first reported about 6 miles northwest of Dayton at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, and already covers over 22,000 acres. “The fire spread at least 8 miles south overnight,” the incident update said Monday morning.

“With an expected change in the weather tomorrow (winds from the south) and as quickly as the fire has spread, the Little Horn Canyon cabin group could be immediately impacted (Tuesday, October 1),” the Sheridan County Sheriff's Office announced Monday afternoon . “Residents of Little Horn Canyon should please consider this a 'READY' message to evacuate at this time.”

By 3 p.m., all residents in the Horseshoe subdivision area were ordered to evacuate, with police and fire personnel contacting residents in that area. “If you are in this subdivision, please evacuate now,” the sheriff's office said .

Evacuations have been ordered along Pass Creek and Sheridan County Road 144, and Pass Creek is closed to all non-resident traffic.

“By the morning of September 30, the outbuildings were probably lost. Local law enforcement and firefighters are working with the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office to notify property owners of lost structures,” the sheriff’s office said.

US 14 between Steamboat Rock and Dayton School is closed to make way for firefighters, WYDOT said.

“The City of Dayton is NOT under ANY evacuation notice at this time. “Firefighters remain focused on protecting structures along the mountain face along Pass Creek toward Dayton, Wyoming,” the SCSO said.

A lightning strike is suspected to be the cause of the fire.

Pack Trail Fire

The Pack Trail Fire in the Bridger-Teton National Forest 23 miles southeast of Moran grew to about 8,000 acres Sunday due to wind gusts of 60 mph, Monday's incident management update said. Additional firefighters arrived throughout Monday morning, and a complex incident management team from California will arrive late Wednesday or early Thursday to take command of the fire.

“The fire spread through the wind over 5 miles, with fire and flames occurring throughout the afternoon,” said District Ranger Todd Stiles. The extreme fire behavior resulted in evacuations and an increase in the evacuation alert level for several subcounties and ranches in Fremont County.

The fire is currently resting on the ridge between the Lava Mountain summit and the old Lava Mountain burn scar above Lava Mountain Lodge.

“The fire inside continues to burn at this time and is expected to continue to burn today,” Stiles said.

The fire was started by lightning on September 15 and has spread to over 19,600 acres. It burns in remote, rugged and inaccessible terrain with few roads, limiting any direct on-site response.

The Fish Creek Fire Further north, there was less active fire behavior Monday and it is 85% contained.

“This may be attributed to the fact that the fire is encountering previously spent fuel along its perimeter and is primarily burning internal pockets of vegetation that do not pose a threat to containment lines,” the update said.

It has burned over 25,000 acres since it erupted via lightning on August 16.

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