September 5, 2020 |
A wildfire dubbed the “316 Fire” is threatening more than 200 homes and structures around Hanna, WY, in northern Carbon County and threatening approximately 846 residents Saturday evening.
The fire burned over the Hanna water treatment plant and destroyed one fire engine, according to a report from the Federal Emergency Management Administration. The fire appeared to have started early Saturday afternoon. Large columns of dark smoke could be seen rising from the fire throughout the region. The fire has burned in excess of 1,000 acres of private land near Hanna, threatening the town.
Emergency responders, including sheriff’s deputies, conducted town-wide evacuations in both Hanna and Elmo. Many residents traveled east toward Laramie, according to reports from law enforcement on the scene. Highway gates were closed and guarded Saturday evening at both US 30/287 at Walcott Junction and northbound WY 72 at I-80, as well as other locations, to prevent traffic into Hanna.
The State of Wyoming requested and received emergency funding this afternoon through FEMA to pay 75 percent of the state’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires.
These grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.
