Lightning sparks multiple fires

WORLAND (WNE) — The Bureau of Land Management, county and other federal firefighters responded to six new fires in the Big Horn Basin on Monday —  all started by lightning. 

The West Warm Springs Fire, which was originally estimated at 2,000 acres but was updated Tuesday to 1,610 acres, is burning in sagebrush, grass and juniper in Hot Springs County, southeast of Thermopolis, on public, private and state lands. There was no containment to report as of Tuesday morning. 

Washakie County firefighters responded quickly to the Contango Fire east of Worland and north of U.S. Highway 16. Estimates were that the fire burned about 5 acres. It was approximately 80% contained Tuesday morning. 

The Wood Ridge Fire, located on public and private land along the ridgeline east of the Wood River and east of the Lower Sunshine Reservoir, is about 125 acres in size and 80% contained. 

The Jake Sellar Draw Fire is also on public and private lands and is about 80% contained. The 22-acre fire burned in grass and sagebrush south of Meeteetse and the Greybull River. 

A BLM engine was able to reach the Badger Creek Fire east of Meeteetse and south of the Greybull River Monday evening and contain it to approximately 146 acres. 

Worland firefighters caught the Red Barn Fire south of Worland quickly and put it out. It burned about .10 acres of sagebrush on public land off U.S. Highway 20. 

A new fire, the Hazelton Fire, was burning at 100 acres in Washakie County southeast of Ten Sleep Tuesday at the edge of the Johnson County border. 

“Additional firefighting resources are coming in to help with ongoing and potential new fires. We ask hunters and other recreationists heading out into the backcountry for continued awareness of the fire danger, starting with not parking or driving on dry grass,” said BLM Wind River/Bighorn Basin District Public Affairs Specialist Sarah Beckwith. 

This story was published on September 12, 2024.