SHERIDAN COUNTY, Wyo. - A winter weather advisory was issued Thursday morning for the region affected by the Elk Fire burning in the Bighorn National Forest.
Fire officials said the weather forecast means colder temperatures, high relative humidity, and precipitation is expected to keep fire activity "very minimal" in contrast to the recent high temperatures that have helped fuel the wildfire.
In an update issued Thursday morning, fire officials said the fire is now estimated to have burned 96,179 acres, an increase of 3,692 acres in the previous 24 hours. Containment is estimated at 28 percent as more than 900 personnel remain assigned to the fire.
Also Thursday officials said several area evacuation levels would be downgraded. Sheridan County Emergency Management issued this notice and updated map:
The Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office and Incident Command are working closely together to reevaluate the evacuation status levels for the areas in proximity to the Elk Fire. With the onset of precipitation and expected fire behavior, we will be downgrading several areas.
Effective immediately:
The following area has been downgraded to a “Set” status:
The area South of PK Lane and West of Beckton, Big Goose Road and Rapid Creek Road to the black fire containment line.
Eaton’s Ranch Headquarters
The following area has been removed from any evacuation level status:
Everything South and West of Bird Farm Road and HWY 87 Intersection and West of HWY 193 to the Johnson County Line and Forest Service Boundary, and West to the Brinton Road and Highway 335 Intersection, moving southeast along the foothills to Kemp Creek and then south to the Forest Service Boundary. This includes the community of Story.
The Town of Dayton
Officials will continue to monitor fire behavior and assess the need to change any evacuation levels on an as needed basis.
We encourage everyone to monitor the Sheridan County Facebook page and the Sheridan County website for the most up-to-date information.
Thank you for your cooperation as we work to ensure the safety of all residents.
Fire officials also said night operations may be scaled back or discontinued as cooler and wetter weather moves into the area.
The lightning-caused wildfire started on Sept. 27 and has forced numerous road closures and evacuations.
Click here for the latest Q2 Weather Forecast
Here's the full Thursday morning update:
Key Messages: A winter weather advisory is in effect from 6:00 am today until 6:00 pm tomorrow. Cold temperatures, high relative humidity, and precipitation will make fire activity very minimal.
Despite abundant smoke production yesterday, the fire did not progress southward toward Red Grade Road. Most fire activity was on the fire’s west side.
Current Situation: Hot temperatures, very low humidity, and southwest wind gusts up to 30 mph in the higher elevations yesterday led to a lot of fire activity on the northwestern corner of the fire. Near Broderick Flat the fire started to spread, but large air tankers and helicopters dropped water and retardant in the area. Night shift crews were prepared to conduct firing operations off the 144 Road (Pass Creek Road). However, fire behavior decreased overnight eliminating the need. Today fire activity in the area should be low, with crews monitoring the area and beginning to repair areas damaged during the fire-suppression phase.
Despite fire activity and abundant smoke on the southern side, the fire remained north of Rapid Creek and Forest Service Trail 238. Southeast of Big Goose Creek a short-range spot fire was detected in the grass. Crews and aircraft kept it from significantly growing during the day, and then a hotshot crew, sawyers, and engines working the night shift contained it at 2.5 acres.
Most of the fire activity yesterday occurred in multiple areas along the western side of the fire, creating distinct smoke columns visible to communities to the east. Strong southwesterly winds along the fire’s western edge pushed the fire back into itself, igniting unburned fuels along the serpentine fire perimeter.
Weather & Fire Behavior: Precipitation today through tomorrow morning is anticipated to be 0.6–1.1 inches across the fire area. At elevations above 7,000 feet, up to 12 inches of snow is possible. Cold temperatures, high relative humidities, and precipitation will result in very minimal fire behavior today and tomorrow; no growth beyond the fire’s current perimeter is expected to occur. However, the fire will still smolder and produce smoke in some areas. For air-quality and smoke information, go to airnow.gov.
Evacuations and Closures: For information on Johnson County evacuations, go to Johnson County WY Emergency Management. For info on Sheridan County evacuations and road closures, go to the Sheridan County Emergency Management website: tinyurl.com/2s38bcc5. You can also call the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office (307-672-3455) or Sheridan County Emergency Management (307-752-2174). US Highway 14 is closed between Burgess Junction and Dayton. View the Wyoming Department of Transportation road-closure map here: wyoroad.info. Bighorn National Forest closure Order No. 02-02-06-24-08 is in effect. The order and map can be viewed here: fs.usda.gov/alerts/bighorn/alerts-notices.
Elk Fire Information:
Phone: 307-303-7642 (8 am to 8 pm)
Email: 2024.Elk@firenet.gov
Linktree: linktr.ee/2024ElkFire
Click here for previous Q2 wildfire coverage.
