CASPER, Wyo. — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department said on Monday, September 27 that Laramie Region biologists have been studying potential impacts on trout within the area of the Mullen Fire burn scar. The 2020 Mullen Fire destroyed 66 structures and burned 176,878 acres in southeast Wyoming and northeast Colorado.
Game and Fish said that biologists sampled trout at four sites within the burn scar area. That included the North Platte River at Pickaroon, multiple spots along Douglas Creek, Muddy Creek and Lake Creek.
The trout that biologists collected ranged in age and size. Game and Fish said that the fish were in “good body condition and appeared healthy.”
“If we compare them to pre-fire surveys, there probably would be not a noticeable difference,” said Laramie Region Fisheries Supervisor Bobby Compton.
The department said that biologists did observe some sediment, ash and silt at all the locations where trout were sampled. However, this did not appear to be impacting fisheries in the area.
Game and Fish said that a lack of heavy rainstorms this summer likely prevented a higher amount of sediment runoff from entering streams and rivers.
“We’re not out of the woods yet, but all in all it’s been a good year and we’ve avoided any catastrophic events in our fisheries from the fire,” Compton said.
