Single Publication

Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 3

Casey Cheesbrough, Incident Commander 

Size: 79,280 acres (2,902-acre increase)

Total Personnel: 929

Containment: 14 percent

Cause: Lightning

Resources: 10 helicopters | 1 UAS | 4 air tankers | 20 crews | 66 engines | 8 dozers | 16 water tenders | 5 masticators | 7 skidders | 5 feller bunchers | 1 processor

Key Messages: Public information officers will be at the post office in Story today from 11 am to 1 pm to talk to community members and answer questions. They will also staff an information board at the Tongue River High School homecoming parade in Dayton this morning.

Another slight decrease in containment—from 15 percent to 14 percent—is due to an increase in overall acreage. Firefighters are making progress, however, as they work on all sides of the fire perimeter.

Current Situation: Throughout Thursday and Thursday night, a significant portion of the firefighting effort was focused on the southern end of the fire. Working from the Sheridan Water Treatment Plant and intake facility, hand crews progressed southeastward, completing two miles of containment line through firing operations. Ground crews received support from an unmanned aerial system (UAS, aka drone) and piloted aircraft. Two hotshot crews and a UAS working the night shift completed firing operations around the water intake facility. These operations are being conducted with the goal of minimizing damage to the watershed, infrastructure, and communities and preventing the fire’s eastward spread. Simultaneously, firefighters and heavy equipment are working along the Red Grade Road, clearing brush and preparing the road to serve as a control feature should the fire continue to advance southward. 

On the west side of the fire, numerous firefighters are spiked out at a second camp near Burgess Junction, giving them quicker access to the fire each day. They have prepared all structures and are ready to conduct defensive firing operations should that side of the fire become more active and advance westward.

To the north, crews are making significant progress, working their way east to west along the 144 Road. They are constructing and securing fireline and are nearing the fire’s northwest corner near Broderick Flat. They are also chipping woody debris and slash that accumulated during the road-preparation project. Aircraft have been assisting ground crews in that area by conducting water and retardant drops. Night-shift crews did not observe any flames or areas of heat near the firelines they patrolled. 

Firefighters are monitoring containment lines on the eastern edge of the fire, ensuring no lingering areas of heat remain within several feet of the perimeter. Crews have progressed southeastward to Crystal Springs, constructing and securing containment lines directly on the fire’s edge. They are starting to backhaul excess equipment and supplies to be used elsewhere around the fire. 

Weather & Fire Behavior: Lower temperatures and higher humidity levels yesterday somewhat moderated fire behavior and provided crews with conditions conducive for firing operations. High humidity levels last night, combined with cloud cover and cooler, moister air today, should reduce the amount of time during the day that the fire will be most active, especially in grassy areas. However, forested areas are still very dry, and fire behavior will remain active. The fire itself and the tactical firing operations could produce abundant smoke. For air-quality and smoke information, go to airnow.gov.

Evacuations and Closures: Sheridan County evacuation levels did not change Thursday. Several county roads in the fire area remain closed. View road-closure and evacuation news releases and the evacuation map on the Sheridan County Emergency Management website: tinyurl.com/2s38bcc5 or call either the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office (307-672-3455) or Sheridan County Emergency Management (307-752-2174). An emergency shelter has been established at the fairgrounds in Sheridan to accommodate people, campers, and animals. Call 307-752-2174 or 307-683-6965 to make arrangements. Bighorn National Forest lands around the Elk Fire are closed under Order 02-02-06-24-08. The order and map can be viewed here: fs.usda.gov/alerts/bighorn/alerts-notices. US Highway 14 is closed at Granite Pass/Hunt Mountain Road/FS 10 (milepost 38.3). US Highway 14A is closed at Hunt Mountain Road/FS10 (milepost 85.6). View the Wyoming Department of Transportation road-closure map here: wyoroad.info.