Crater Ridge Fire in Bighorn National Forest Grows Larger

Efforts to stop the Crater Ridge Fire in Bighorn National Forest are getting more aggressive as the fire grows to nearly 400 acres with 0% containment.

The latest update from Bighorn National Forest confirms the Crater Ridge Fire has grown since the last report. Its size increased from 200 acres on Monday, July 19, to 383 acres as of 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 20.

Fire behavior is described as “active,” with group tree torching observed. This means several trees are igniting and flaring with flames from bottom to top.

As of Tuesday, the fire is 0% contained. According to the latest report, 119 personnel are responding to the fire on-site, employing full suppression tactics to control the spread of the flames.

Hotshot crews and hand crews are creating a fuel break along Boyd Ridge south of the fire. Most of Monday’s efforts were spent connecting existing patch cuts in that area for the break.

There are no evacuations in place due to the fire. The handful of people evacuated earlier this week were campers who happened to be in the vicinity of the blaze.

Courtesy InciWeb

Bighorn National Forest has enacted closures and restrictions around the Crater Ridge Fire to ensure the safety of everyone in the area, especially firefighters.

On Sunday, June 18, a substantial section of the forest between U.S. Highway 14 north and the Montana state line is closed while the fire is being fought.  There’s no word on how long the closure will last.

In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration has enacted a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) for the fire area and the nearby Stagecoach Reservoir. Drones are hazardous for pilots and ground crews, so no pilots may operate an aircraft in the area.

The Crater Ridge Fire is currently the largest active wildfire in Wyoming – but not the only one.

The 160-acre Shale Creek Fire is currently burning in Bridger Teton National Forest near Kemmerer. It was first reported on July 16.