As multiple, significant wildfires blaze across the Bighorn Basin, the National Weather Service in Riverton has issued an Air Quality Alert for that area and the western Bighorn Mountains, effective today, August 15, until 1 PM on Saturday.
This includes the following towns:
Clark, Cody, Meeteetse, Basin, Greybull, Lovell, Powell, Shell, Thermopolis, Ten Sleep, and Worland.
The alert states that the Wyoming Department of Health “recommends that the elderly, young children, and individuals with respiratory problems avoid excessive physical exertion and minimize outdoor activities during this time.”
“Wildfire smoke is made up of a variety of pollutants, including particulate matter and ozone, which can cause respiratory health effects. Although these people are most susceptible to health impacts, the Department of Health also advises that everyone should avoid prolonged exposure to poor air quality conditions.”
“The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Air Quality Division, offers near real-time air quality data for Wyoming`s monitoring stations and health effects information to help the public interpret current conditions, and current air quality conditions across the state of Wyoming can be found here.”
The Bureau of Land Management also issued a release earlier today, advising the public of three active wildfires that are “burning on private, state, and BLM-administered lands within the Worland Field Office area,” all of which are currently at 0% containment, with firefighting resources actively engaged.
Red Canyon Fire – Hot Springs County
The Red Canyon Fire is exhibiting very active fire behavior and is estimated at more than 50,000 acres following last night’s activity. County evacuation orders and road closures remain in effect. A Type 3 incident management team is scheduled to arrive this evening to assist, and a strike team with additional equipment arrived this morning.
Sleeper Ranch Fire – Park County
The Sleeper Ranch Fire is burning in a more remote location and has grown to more than 12,000 acres. No evacuation orders are in place at this time. A Type 3 incident management team has been ordered.
Spring Creek Fire – Washakie County
The Spring Creek Fire has burned an estimated 2,500 acres. A Type 3 incident management team assumed command of the fire at 6 a.m. today.
A Type 3 incident management team is a specialized, regionally based team that manages extended or more complex incidents when local resources are no longer sufficient, providing additional structure, coordination, and resources.
“The safety of the public and our firefighters is our top priority,” Stacey Whitman Moore, Acting Worland Field Manager, stated in the release. “We urge everyone to stay clear of the fire areas, follow evacuation orders, and allow firefighters the space they need to do their jobs safely and effectively.”
“The public is urged to avoid the affected areas, follow all evacuation orders, and monitor official updates from county emergency management offices.”
For updates on fire conditions and closures, click here.