Crater Ridge Fire Area Reopens as Officials Lift Year-Long Closure
Written by Caleb Nelson on July 13, 2022
A recent press release out of Greybull announced that Bighorn National Forest officials have lifted the nearly year-long closure of the Crater Ridge Fire Area today (July 13, 2022). Visitors can now freely access the previously closed roads and areas.
Post Crater Ridge 6, courtesy of Bighorn National Forest
“Remember that entering burned areas increases risk of injury or damage to your equipment,” Acting Medicine Wheel District Ranger Cordell Perkins says. “Fire weakened trees can fall without warning and soils may be unstable due to erosion, travel with caution,” Perkins adds.
The closure was put in place on July 17th, 2021, after the start of the “Crater Ridge Fire.” The long-duration fire burned over 7,500 acres and was declared out on December 12th, 2021. The closure remained in effect to prevent “resource damage”, officials explain, prior to rehabilitation work. Crews have successfully completed the work of removing a burned structure, removing hazard trees along roads, and rehabilitating dozer lines and lower-level roads that were opened for suppression.
News of this reopening comes after a recent victory for the Forest Service, which has secured long over-due pay increases for wildland firefighters.
Logs from a salvage sale are decked off Forest System Roads 110 Boyd Ridge and 111 Red Springs. These logs have been purchased by a contractor and are not available for public use. Unauthorized removal is considered theft, officials warn.
Bighorn National Forest officials lifted the nearly year-long closure of the Crater Ridge Fire Area on July 13, 2022. Once again, visitors are free to access the formally closed roads and area.
