By Staff 7-18,2017
An abandoned campfire was the cause of a 3 acre wildfire reported above Bruce’s Campground on the Washakie Ranger District of the Shoshone National Forest, nine miles southwest of Lander, WY. Forest Service initial attack resources included one type 6 wildland fire engine and one initial attack hand crew. The fire spread through grass with short range spotting and single tree torching. Additional resources ordered were two single engine air tankers out of Riverton, WY and a light helicopter from Casper, WY. Fremont County firefighters also responded with some firefighters staged in the Homestead Park subdivision as a precaution. With the aid of the air resources, the firefighters on the ground quickly contained the fire.
Firefighters remarked “the abandoned campfire was a short walk from the Popo Agie River where the campfire could have been doused with water prior to the campers leaving the area”. Visitors to the National Forest are reminded to never leave a campfire without making sure it is completely out.
Fremont County and the BLM are in stage one fire restrictions. The US Forest Service is not in fire restrictions at this time due to most lands are at higher elevations where the air is cooler and the terrain wetter than at lower elevation. However, campfires left unattended can grow quickly, as seen today with the Bruce’s fire.
As America’s first national forest, the Shoshone National Forest has 2.4 million acres of diverse terrain and a mission to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the forest to meet the needs of present and future generations.