Wyoming Governor Issues Emergency Wildfire Declaration

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has issued an emergency Executive Order in response to the multiple fires burning in Wyoming.

The order specifically mentions several fires, including the 95,000-acre Red Canyon Fire, the 3,500-acre Spring Creek Fire, and the 20,000-acre Sleeper Ranch Fire.

According to a release from the governor's office, lightning caused the Red Canyon Fire on August 13. The release does not cite a known cause for the Spring Creek Fire or the Sleeper Ranch Fire.

Wyoming To Get Federal Money For Red Canyon Fire

According to the release, "On Friday, FEMA approved Wyoming’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)  authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Red Canyon fire. The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire."

That fire has prompted evacuation orders and threatens private property in Hot Springs, Washakie and Park counties.

The most recent update on Red Canyon Fire from RMCIMT 2, including evacuation areas and closures, can be found here. Regular updates on the Red Canyon Fire will be published to the fire’s InciWeb page.

Fires are not unusual in Wyoming in August and September, as hot, dry weather and gusty winds often heighten the fire danger ahead of cooler, wetter fall weather.