Bighorn Forest Fire Danger Elevated to High

Fire danger in the national forest has elevated to high and there are two more months of the summer season still to go – so Bighorn National Forest fire managers are asking the public to make every effort to prevent human-caused wildfires.
High fire danger means dead fuels ignite readily, fires can start easily, and unattended campfires are likely to escape. Susie Douglas, public information officer for the Bighorn National Forest, explains the circumstances that prompts an elevated fire danger.

Fire managers are particularly concerned about abandoned campfires. An abandoned campfire was the cause of a 3 acre wildfire reported yesterday above Bruce’s Campground on the Washakie Ranger District of the Shoshone National Forest, nine miles southwest of Lander. Firefighters noted that the abandoned campfire was a short walk from the river, where the campfire could have been doused with water prior to the campers leaving the area.
Bighorn National Forest fire management officer Jon Warder cautioned that fire season in the Bighorns typically lasts until the middle of September, and with hot daytime temperatures in the forecast, forest users should be especially careful with campfires.