Fires Burning In Big Horn Basin
Written by Andrew-Rossi on August 13, 2018
Several new fires have broken out in Northwest Wyoming, contributing to the smoke in the air.
Two fires began early yesterday evening in Oregon Basin. According to reports, 15 fire crews are actively battling the blaze, which began around 5 p.m.
A house fire near Worland closed Highway 16 last night, although the Wyoming Department of Transportation posted on Twitter early this morning that the closure at milepost 166 had been cleared.
Additionally, firefighters on the Bridger-Teton National Forest have requested aerial firefighting craft to assist with the Fire Trail Fire five miles from Alpine. The fire has grown to 50-acres on the Greys River Ranger District, about 1-mile west in the Squaw Creek drainage. The wildfire was started by an ATV rollover, in which no one was injured.
The hot and mainly dry weather over the weekend means that conditions are ripe for wildfires, as much of the vegetation below 8,500 ft is very dry.
The Park County Sheriff’s Department reminds residents that outdoor burning is highly discouraged, and activities that produce sparks, such as grinding and welding, are not recommended. They urge people to avoid parking in high grass, advise against throwing cigarette butts out, and remind campers to drown their campfires.
