Governor Gordon Provides State Support for Elk, Pack Trail Fires Impacting Sheridan and Fremont Counties

Governor Mark Gordon announced Wednesday that he would be providing State support for the Elk Fire burning in the Bighorn National Forest. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

The lightning-caused Elk Fire is being managed by the U.S. Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 3, with approximately 200 personnel currently assigned to the fire. U.S. 14 between Dayton and Burgess Junction will remain closed indefinitely, as the fire has crossed the highway at mile marker 76. Governor Mark Gordon has authorized the deployment of the Wyoming National Guard to support the Elk Fire with on-site medevac resources for firefighter safety and use, if necessary. Two additional fires, the Fish Creek and Pack Trail, in Teton and Fremont Counties, have burned more than 43,000 acres combined and have 299 personnel battling the wildfires. 

Governor Gordon is responding to the wildfires by directing all available state fire resources to be utilized for active fires and new starts. These include a Wyoming State Forestry helicopter and helitack firefighters, two Single Engine Air Tankers and Wyoming Smokebusters. The hot dry weather throughout Wyoming could result in new fire starts and a need for initial attack resources. 

The state is also cooperating with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management state-wide, who are providing additional aviation resources, including Large Air Tankers, Single Engine Air Tankers, helicopters, and scooper planes. Ground resources, such as hotshot crews, Type 1 and 2 hand crews, and engines are also being directed for suppression response.