• Northeast Wyoming has seen more acres burned in 2024 than all of 2023.
• Crook County reports significant forest fires alongside typical prairie blazes.
• Fire restrictions are already in place for some northeast Wyoming counties.
• Dry conditions and low moisture levels point toward a severe fire season.

March 27, 2024 — Cowboy State Daily reports that while much of Wyoming enjoys a relatively low wildfire risk this spring, the state’s northeast corner is a different story. Crook County Fire Warden Charles Harrison warns that the area has already surpassed its total burned acreage for the entirety of last year. This includes roughly 200-acre forest fires, a rare occurrence for March.

Low soil moisture and dry fuels have combined to prompt Stage 1 fire restrictions in Crook, Weston, and Niobrara counties, limiting campfires and the use of some equipment.

Conditions could worsen as the season progresses. Other parts of Wyoming may see increased fire danger later in the year, especially if spring and early summer don’t bring enough moisture to support the growth of grasses and other finer fuels. The vast presence of beetle-killed timber, particularly in the Shoshone and Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests, remains a concern that dry conditions and strong winds could exacerbate.

While the National Interagency Fire Center predicts a “normal” wildfire risk for Wyoming overall, residents of the northeast corner are understandably apprehensive.

Map of Wyoming Counties via Wikimedia Commons.