The Albany County Commission has approved emergency fire restrictions to deal with a "severe to extreme fire situation" throughout the county.

You can read the emergency resolution here.

In the words of the resolution 'That all outdoor fires, any discharge of any Explosives, Division 1.4 ( common fireworks), or Division 1.3 (Display Fireworks) and the discharge of a firearm using incendiary or tracer ammunition are prohibited except as set forth below, in the unincorporated area of Albany County, Wyoming beginning at midnight on October 8, 2024 and ending no later than November 1, 2024 unless temporarily lifted or re-imposed by the County Fire Warden during that term; ''

Exceptions To The Ban

Exceptions inlcude burning trash between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ''inside containers provided with a spark arrester screen and located within a cleared area ten ( 10) feet in radius and fire suppression means are present at the site and comply with all other laws and requirements.''  

Attended campfires are allowed in established fire rings in campground or residential areas. There are several other exceptions to the ban, which you can see here.

People caught violating the ban could face up to 30 days in jail and a $100 fine. They could also be liable for the cost to suppress the fire and damages, which can easily total into the tens of  thousands of dollars or much more.

The Albany County Fire Warden has the authority to lift or reimpose the restrictions. Otherwise they are scheduled to end no later than Nov. 1.

Southeast Wyoming has seen an unusually warm and dry stretch of weather for the fall season. The short-range forecast is calling for that trend to continue for at least the next week, with temperatures in Laramie expected to continue to hit the 60s and 70s.

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