SCEM: Debris Flows Possible Due to Elk Fire Burn Scar

Sheridan County Emergency Management (SCEM) Coordinator Jesse Ludikhuize made an appearance on Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse to urge the public in the Elk Fire burn scar area to be prepared for possible debris flows.

During a typical year, Ludikhuize will give information pertaining to flood preparation and property protection. This year however, Ludihuize is urging residents to be alert to the possibility of large debris flows caused by spring storms on the Elk Fire burn scar. 

J. Ludikhuize 

Ludikhuize made a reference to two flash flood events that took place just last year. One event took the lives of 28 campers in Texas Hill County, TX in 2025. According to a story published during that time by NASA’s Earth Data, the Texas Hill County event stands as a sobering reminder of the lethal intersection between extreme rainfall, vulnerable terrain, and unique hydrology. The other event took place much closer to home on Highway 14.

J. Ludikhuize 

The 2024 Elk Fire burned over 98,000 acres before teams were able to knock it down. A multi-agency effort has been working to remove debris over the last two years, but the amount of debris left in the wake of the fire will require many years to remove and has already caused damage to local ranches. 

J. Ludikhuize 

Sheridan County Emergency Management has sandbag locations located throughout the county year-round. Find those here. 

Ludikhuize urges those in and near the Elk Fire burn scar to have an evacuation plan ready to execute quickly. He recommends residents sign up for Alert Sense to ensure all local emergency alerts are sent directly to mobile devices. Click here. 

Should residents have any other questions, Ludikhuize said to contact him directly at 307-675-2569 or 307-752-2174. To view the USGS video recorded last year of the debris flow on Highway 14, click here.