Some Signs Point To Active 2022 Fire Season In Wyoming, But It May Be Too Early To Predict

Wyoming’s snowpack level may be low, and some drought areas are extreme, but it may be too early to predict what’s going to happen when fire season starts in the summer.

The latest map from the National Drought and Mitigation Center has most of the north and western parts and some of the southeast parts of Wyoming, listed as either in a severe or extreme drought.

The drier the land, the more potential fuel there is for a wild-land fire to burn, if and when one starts.

Bill Crapser with the Wyoming State Forestry Division says fire season in Wyoming tends to be light in June and July, and then picks up in August.

It’s hard to tell what’s going to happen weather wise for the rest of April, as well as all of May, and that could make a difference.

“Even with the low snow packs and everything else, if we have a lot of rain in May, June, July, it changes everything, but right now the weather predictions for most of the state are below normal precipitation and above normal temperatures.”

Crapser adds the website, Predictive Services, says northeast Wyoming has above normal wildland fire potential in the month of June, and any part of Wyoming east of the Continental Divide, has above normal wildland fire potential in the month of July.