LANDER, Wyo. — A wildfire that erupted Sunday afternoon on the brushy hills near South Pass has expanded rapidly and is now estimated at roughly 9,800 acres, making it the largest wildfire recorded in Wyoming so far this year.
Rapid growth, evacuations and road closures
Fremont County authorities first alerted residents to a fire start at about 2 p.m. Sunday. Within an hour the incident had grown to several hundred acres and by evening officials had issued mandatory evacuations for areas downwind of the fire, including pockets of the Twin Creek drainage east of the origin.
Officials closed a significant stretch of Wyoming Highway 28 through South Pass as crews worked to protect homes and infrastructure. Fremont County Emergency Management issued a “GO” evacuation status — the highest level — telling some residents to take only essentials, pets and family members and leave immediately.
Current status and impacts
First responders said a south wind pushed the blaze across open terrain overnight, contributing to the large size. As of Monday, containment remained minimal and most of the burn so far has been on federal lands, with some state and private parcels also affected.
Structure damage reported to date has been limited. Fremont County Emergency Management stated that a Conex storage container and an older barn were consumed, and no homes or garages had been lost at the time of the update.
“So far structure losses have been a limited to a Conex storage container and an older barn. At this time, no homes or garages have been lost,” Fremont County Emergency Management said.
Fire response and resources
Local authorities said an emergency task force was en route from Colorado to bolster fireline efforts. Air resources are being supplied from Lander, and an additional helicopter from Casper was reported to be headed to the incident. Officials indicated that fire retardant operations are expected to continue throughout the day, and a bulldozer is working on the north flank of the fire.
- Initial report of fire: about 2 p.m. Sunday
- Explosive growth to hundreds of acres within the first hour
- Mandatory local evacuations ordered around 8 p.m. Sunday
- Estimated size as of Monday: ~9,800 acres
- Primary impacts: evacuation orders, highway closure, minor structure loss
Timeline of the fire’s growth
| Time (approx.) | Observed size / action |
|---|---|
| ~2:00 p.m. Sunday | Fire reported near South Pass |
| ~3:00 p.m. | Fire had grown to roughly 200 acres; Highway 28 closures began |
| ~4:44 p.m. | Fremont County announced preparations for evacuations; fire about 3,000 acres |
| ~8:00 p.m. | Mandatory evacuations issued; fire ~3,800 acres |
| Next morning | Fire estimated at about 9,800 acres; little containment |
What residents should know and do
Officials emphasize that people in evacuation zones should leave immediately when told to do so. For those in surrounding areas, ask neighbors about readiness and keep travel routes clear for emergency vehicles. Given the highway closure, plan alternate routes and follow updates from Fremont County Emergency Management and local public safety agencies.
- Follow evacuation orders and instructions from emergency management.
- If evacuated, take identification, medications, pets and essential items only.
- Keep roads open for firefighting equipment and avoid the area to reduce traffic delays.
- Monitor official channels for updates on containment, road status and sheltering options.
Outlook
Firefighters face challenging weather and terrain as they work to establish lines and protect structures. The arrival of additional crews and aviation resources from neighboring states is expected to help slow the blaze, but officials warned that containment remained minimal and that conditions could change quickly.
WE NEWS will continue to follow the Weiser Knoll Fire and provide updates as state and local agencies release new information. For now, residents in the affected neighborhoods should heed evacuation notices and stay away from the fire area to allow responders to operate safely and efficiently.
— Cody Marsh, State Correspondent, WE NEWS
