17 fires in five days in Weston County

17 fires in five days in Weston County

NEWCASTLE (WNE) —With little precipitation falling to counter lightning storms and increased drought conditions, conditions are ripe for wildfire startups in northeast Wyoming. 

Weston County firefighters have been battling a bunch of blazes in the past week, with 17 fires reported over five days, according to Weston County Fire Warden Daniel Tysdal. 

According to data provided previously by Tysdal, this brings Weston County’s total fire count since July to 47. 

The new round of fires came after a series of lightning storms that brought little to no precipitation, and a string of fires began on Aug. 21, according to Tysdal’s report. Both Tysdal and Gilbert Nelson, Weston County emergency management coordinator, acknowledged the hard work of not only the local firefighters but also landowners, businesses, county employees and many others who volunteered their time to ensure that these fires were taken care of quickly. 

While Weston County has been battling its share of fires recently, the situation is just as bad — or worse — in other parts of northern Wyoming. Firefighters from across the state have been battling a number of large fires. 

As the fire danger in Weston County continues, it is clear that the drought in Weston County continues to worsen. 

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 75.17% of Weston County is now listed as being in D3, or extreme drought. This is up from 0% the previous week. D3 drought is described as poor snowpack and inadequate surface water for ranching and farming. 

This story was published on August 29, 2024.