Structures lost in Pedro Mountain Fire
Four structures at the northern end of the county were burned when the wind-driven Pedro Mountain Fire made a mad rush Sunday afternoon, local officials said yesterday.
The fire has burned more than 10,000 acres since it was first reported on Saturday. It is still active and only 10 percent contained.
Today will be critical on the fire front east of Pathfinder Reservoir. Forecasts call for gusty winds that will challenge lines fire crews built over the last two days.
Carbon County Fire Warden John Rutherford toured the Pedro Mountain Road area which bore the brunt of the flames on Sunday. Rutherford said what his team saw was “bad,” but were relieved the damage wasn’t worse.
Rutherford said the homes are located on the southeastern flank of the fire at the northern edge of Carbon County. Pedro Mountain Road was evacuated Sunday afternoon. Two of the homeowners have been notified, he added. Efforts are underway to contact the others. Fire danger remains high in the area. Structure protection is a top priority.
Around 265 firefighters from around the Rocky Mountain Region have been deployed to the Pedro Mountain Fire, including three hot shot crews, 22 engines, helicopters and five water tenders. Four helicopters and other aircraft also are working the fire.
Lori Iverson is the public information officer for the incident team in charge of suppression efforts. Iverson said crews took advantage of Tuesday’s milder weather to conduct prescribed burns build lines ahead of the more turbulent conditions expected today.
The winds are expected to shift today and come out of the southwest today and tomorrow. Yesterday winds were out of the north. The aim of the strategic burns was to blacken enough ground in front of where the flames are expected to travel in the upcoming days.
The goal is to starve the fire of fuel and stall the fire’s continued advance to the east. Like Rutherford, Iverson said the fire has far from burned itself out and firefighters are working to minimize its growth.
Resources continue to move into the area. To accommodate the additional traffic from equipment and personnel, road closures are in effect at the northern end of Carbon County and also in southern Natrona County.
While the fire was resized to over 10,000 acres yesterday, Iverson said the fire did not grow substantially. Instead, new and more thorough ground and aerial surveys have resulted in a more accurate estimate of just how much land was scorched in the first 48 hours.
The Pedro Mountain Fire was first reported on Saturday. Officials say it was lightening caused, but the exact starting point has not yet been located.
Video courtesy of Bureau of Land Management – Wyoming:
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