On Sunday June 13, a resident of Laramie could have looked northwest and seen a pillar of smoke rising from Medicine Bow National Forest.
While this fire was easily contained within the day by firefighters in Carbon County, the United States Forest Service is prepared for worse.
Aaron Voos, the public affairs specialist with the US Forest Service Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland office in Laramie said the first fire was “fairly small” at about 26 acres and was contained easily.
“That being said, we’re worried that bigger fires are still to come,” said Voos.
Bigger fires are already spreading across Wyoming, such as the Robinson Fire in Northeast Wyoming near Big Horn that has currently burned approximately 1,038 acres. According to incident commander Michael Haydon, the fire is currently about 25 percent contained.
With fires spreading through Campbell and Johnson counties with threats high elsewhere, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is beginning to tighten fire restrictions in high danger areas.
“Right now, I think the main focus is trying to keep the High Plains District safe and then we’ll address the rest of the state as we need to,” Voos said.
“Several places in Wyoming had a dry winter and spring seasons, and so the sudden heat has us concerned that a lot of the grasslands around Campbell and Johnson [counties] are in danger,” Haydon said.
Both Haydon and Voos are recommending caution and safe practices for anyone who wants to go camping or utilize their summer vacation.
Their first recommendation was to strictly follow the fire restriction codes in any given county that you can find yourself in. “A quick Google search for Wyoming fire restrictions should bring you to the Bureau of Land Management’s page and from there you can get all the info you need,” said Voos.
They also strongly advise against building, maintaining, or using a camp fire that is not within an agency provided fire place.
“One of the biggest risks of fire we see is when people build their own campfires,” said a press representative of the BLM to the Branding Iron. “If you want a fire, find a campsite that is approved and has verified and proven fire grates.”
Another big recommendation coming from Voos, Haydon and the Bureau is to avoid littering, especially with flammables.
“All it takes is someone to discard a lit cigarette into some dead grass or leaves, or leaving out trash that can catch in this heat,” the BLM press representative said.
Voos and Haydon echoed the sentiment, saying any campers or travelers in Wyoming should avoid making their own fires and pack out all the trash they pack in.
“Keeping our forests and grasslands clean is really the best way the average person can help avoid an ignition event,” Voos said.
Voos also mentioned that the state was looking into the possibility of prescribed controlled burns, an event where the Forest Service sections off a piece of forest to burn in order to cull forest fires down the road. However, Voos said plans for controlled burns are complex and often depend on a variety of factors, so the Forest Service cannot speak to any at this time.
As fire season continues in Wyoming, and vacationers looking to use some of that sweet outdoors time rises, it is important to keep in mind the essential fire safety tips that have proven effective time and again.
Fore more information, please visit the Wyoming State Forestry Division website’s page on prevention.
