CASPER, Wyo. — At least 18 wildfires have been discovered since June 5 with unseasonably warm temperatures across Wyoming.
The Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center (RMACC) shows that the largest of these fires have all started in the northeast and north central part of the state.
Agencies from around the state are assisting one another to fight the blazes. The Natrona County Fire District deployed a crew on Wednesday to help on multiple fires in Johnson County.
The Campbell County Fire Department said on Thursday they were also sending a crew of three firefighters with their Grass 5 Engine to help fight the Murphy Fire burning south of Kaycee in Johnson County.
RMACC lists the Murhpy Fire, which was initially discovered at around 3:15 pm Tuesday at 203 acres. Other 100+ acre fires in the northeast include the 746 acre West fire near Wright which was discovered around 1:15 Tuesday. RMACC lists that fire at 746 acres.
The Skull Creek Fire, discovered around 1:30 pm Wednesday, was listed at 500 acres. RMACC shows that fire’s location as between Newcastle and Upton. Other fires are shown on RMACC’s map. Some of the fires listed on the map have reportedly been fully contained, such as the Sweet Grass Fire, which burned 273 acres in Campbell County.
A high wind warning is expected to go into effect across a large swath of the state on Thursday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Riverton. The I-25 corridor from Casper to Buffalo, the Cody Foothills and part of central Wyoming could see gusts reach 60-65 mph.
The afternoon is expected to see relative humidity values in the single digits, which the NWS in Riverton says will lead to critical fire weather conditions.
“Any fire could spread extremely rapidly,” the NWS in Riverton says.
