Pedro Mountain Fire burns over 19,000 acres near Pathfinder Reservoir in Wyoming

Pedro Mountain Fire line construction
Firefighters construct fireline in preparation for burnout operations on August 28, 2019. Photo by Andrew Maue, Laramie Peak Fire Zone.

Since the Pedro Mountain Fire started from a lightning strike August 24 it has burned over 19,000 acres in southeast Wyoming. The fire is just east of the Pathfinder Reservoir, 37 miles northeast of Rawlins and 39 miles southwest of Casper. Evacuations are in effect for some areas.

From InciWeb:

Saturday’s Summary
Four hotshot crews, assisted by initial attack crews, completed a large and successful burn operation throughout the southern half of the fire on Saturday. The control line stretched for several miles, including Gooseberry Canyon and areas just west of Carbon County Road 291. This reduced the amount of vegetation in the fire’s path and is a key strategy in the effort to protect homes and property.

Sunday’s Operations
While some crews will continue working in the area of yesterday’s successful efforts in the south, other firefighters and engines will be rerouted to the northeast corner near Rocky Gap, where infrared flights show pockets of heat with the potential to spread to uncontrolled fire line. Fire prediction tools used by the incident management team show the fire has the most potential to spread to the east/northeast in the next 24 hours, based on weather and topography. Addressing these hot spots will limit significant fire growth and assist in closing up the containment line.

Crews are working under red flag warning conditions again today, with temperatures in the 90s, low humidity, and strong winds.

The evacuations and closures listed below remain in effect because firefighters are still engaged in efforts to stop the fire from spreading. With uncontrolled lines, the fire has potential to move to the east and south, putting fire and smoke closer to County Road 291. With well over 400 personnel on the fire, large numbers of crews and apparatus need to move unimpeded throughout the fire zone. The incident management team understands the public’s interest in returning to the area and will begin discussing plans with the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office to allow residents access to their homes and properties in a timely manner as soon as the area is safe from further fire spread and other impacts.

Map location Pedro Mountain Fire
Map showing the location of the Pedro Mountain Fire at 2:48 a.m. MDT September 1, 2019.

Closures / Public Safety
Evacuations are still in place for the following areas: Pedro Mountain Estates, Pedro Mountain Ranch Road, and Cardwell Ranch.

Natrona County Road 407 / Carbon County 291 (also known as Kortes Road) is closed from the intersection of Natrona County 408 (also known as Fremont Canyon) south to Leo/Sage Creek until further notice due to fire operations and public safety. The closure includes all roads west of the above location to Pathfinder Reservoir.