(Hot Springs County, WY) – The Red Canyon Fire in Hot Springs County remains at 0% containment as of Saturday morning, August 16.
Yesterday morning’s initial reports from the Watch Duty App using data provided by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) indicated the fire was burning at 50,000 acres, but that number was later revised to 34,432.2 acres on Friday afternoon.
According to the release issued today by BLM, the Wyoming State Forestry Division, Hot Springs County, the Sierra Front Wildfire Cooperators, and the Nevada Team 5 Type 3 Incident Management Teams, the fire has now grown to an estimated 50,000 acres.
Sierra Front/Nevada Team 5, a Type 3 incident management team, assumed command of the fire this morning at 8 AM, the release states, and the team is “fully engaged in fire suppression operations; gathering intelligence, including ordering an infrared flight to accurately map the fire; and working with local resources to ensure a smooth transition day.”
“Preliminary firefighting objectives include firefighter and public safety as the highest priority throughout the incident; implement actions to minimize fire spread and intensity, including plans to protect high-value resources like private homes and structures, powerline facilities, transmission lines, oil and gas infrastructure, priority greater sage grouse habitat, and natural and cultural resources; and foster and maintain relationships with local agencies, cooperators, and stakeholders.”
The release also informs that several property owners in the fire area have “undertaken independent actions to protect their property and/or to help firefighting efforts,” but responders advise that “the desire to contribute and to help firefighting efforts is appreciated, but some of those independent actions are impeding firefighting operations.”
“If non-firefighting personnel are in an area where operations are planned or are being conducted, operations are negatively impacted because firefighting resources’ attention is diverted from firefighting to focus on life-safety of the public. Anyone working independently is asked to coordinate efforts with the incident management team or to stop working in the fire management area.”
The release also advises that storm chances increase after 3 PM today, and there is “potential for gusty and erratic outflow winds of 30 to 40 mph.”
“Saturday night will be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms until 9:00 p.m. Overnight humidity will recover to around 40%.”
An Air Quality Alert due to wildfire smoke was also issued for Saturday morning until 1 PM.
CLOSURES:
Buffalo Creek Road, Black Mountain Road west of Kirby Creek Road, and Kirby Creek Road are all closed.
For closure information, please click here.
EVACUATIONS:
Kirby Creek Road between Red Hole Road and Buffalo Creek Road has been evacuated. For evacuation information, please click here.
Additional information can be found below.
Phone: 307-395-2256
Email: 2025.redcanyon@firenet.gov
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hscpublichealth