Bare Fire half the size previously estimated

JACKSON (WTE) – The Bare Fire, which is burning 20 miles northwest of Big Piney in the Wyoming Range, is half the size Bridger-Teton National Forest fire managers thought it was last week.

After estimating that the fire was 800 acres on Wednesday, fire managers now have updated that estimate to 443 acres. Improved mapping and visibility led to the updated acreage, according to a press release.

A preliminary investigation indicates that the fire was caused by lightning, according to the forest. That finding was based on physical evidence and lightning maps that recorded strikes in the days preceding the fire.

The fire is burning on forest, private and Bureau of Land Management land. Structures and energy infrastructure are threatened, according to the interagency center. The High Lonesome Ranch, in Sublette County, is in the “set” stage of the “ready, set, go” framework, meaning that residents have been asked to prepare to shelter in place or evacuate.

A much larger wildfire is burning in Fremont County. The Weiser Knoll Fire, which was reported Sunday, was estimated to be 13,350 acres on Monday afternoon. The fire was likely caused by a wheel bearing going out on a trailer, according to the Fremont County Fire Protection District. 

This story was published on August 11, 2026. 

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