Elk Fire nears 90K acres burned, containment at 27%

GILLETTE (WNE) — The Elk Fire continued to grow over the weekend as firefighters made progress on containment.

As of Monday morning, the fire had burned 89,315 acres, an increase of more than 10,000 acres since Friday morning, and it was 27% contained. A total of 944 people are working on the fire, including 13 aircraft, 19 crews, 59 engines, eight dozers and 18 water tenders.

All of the containment lines are on the north edge of the fire, while the southern part of the fire remains uncontained.

Sunday, crews continued strategic firing operations south of the main fire to reduce fuels and slow the fire’s spread. Firefighters started ignitions at Red Grade Road and the operations progressed to the north, according to a press release from Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 3.

Structure protection crews will continue work near homes and other properties in the Poverty Flats area Monday, clearing flammable debris and setting up ponds, pumps and sprinkler systems.

Up Red Grade Road in the National Forest, crews are using heavy equipment to clear vegetation on both sides of Forest Service Road 26 in order to create a defensible line for strategic firing operations, if needed, to keep the fire from moving south.

In the Burgess Junction area, hand crews and heavy equipment are working to remove trees and vegetation.

This story was published on October 14, 2024.