News Release 09/17/2012
Incident: Sheep Herder Hill Wildfire
Released: 9/17/2012
NEWS RELEASE: Sheep Herder Hill Complex Fire
Contact: Andy Lyon, Public Information Officer
Media Line: 307.215.3099
Phone: 303.901.6109
Website: www.InciWeb.org
Most Evacuations to be Lifted, 100% Containment ReachedProperty Owners ONLY to be Allowed in Starting at 9 a.m. Today
Monday, September 17, 2012, 8:00 a.m. Casper, WY - With 100% of the fire contained and improving weather conditions,
Natrona County Emergency Management Agency has announced it is lifting mandatory evacuations for most residents and canceling its pre-evacuation order for everyone else. Beginning at 9:00 a.m. RESIDENTS ONLY will be allowed into their properties. Those residents WILL BE REQUIRED to show proof of property ownership to Natrona County Sheriff's Deputies at the road blocks into the area. An identification placard will be issued to allow those residents only, continued access to their property.
One portion of the fire area will remain closed and under a mandatory evacuation order. The evacuation area is bounded roughly by Limber Pine Trail on the north, south to Hazelton Trail, Cougar Drive on the west, and east to Canyon Drive. The evacuation area also includes lower Ponderosa Park Road, which will be closed at the switchback. Active firefighting operations and numerous hazard trees in those areas make it unsafe for residents at this time.
The Muddy Mountain Road will be open to the general public, also beginning at 9:00 a.m. today. Public access to Muddy Mountain will be from South Circle Drive or Coal Mountain Road ONLY.
Emergency vehicle traffic will continue to be heavy on Casper Mountain and surrounding roads and everyone is urged to drive slowly, with headlights on. In addition, numerous damaged trees and other hazards still exist within the fire perimeter. Fire crews are continuing to mop up and to remove hazard trees but smoke may be visible in some areas for many days to come. Sunday night, a Type III Incident Management Team, led by Incident Commander Dick Terry of the Wyoming State Division of Forestry, took control of the fire, working with numerous federal, state and local cooperating agencies. Fire crews, fire engines and aviation resources will all continue to work on mitigating areas of concern.
A third community meeting will be held tonight at 5:00 p.m. at Casper City Hall to update residents about the status of firefighting efforts.
Fire stats at a glance:
Start Date: Sunday, September 9, 2012 Personnel: 246 Injuries: 0
Cause: Under investigation Acreage Burned: 15,556
Structure information: 37 Residences, 23 Outbuildings Destroyed, 2 Residences damaged
Structures/outbuildings threatened: 853
Agencies assisting include the Natrona County Fire District, Casper Fire-EMS, Casper Mountain, Mills, Evansville, Bar-Nunn Fire Departments, Wyoming Army National Guard, Natrona County Emergency Management, Natrona County Sheriff's Department, Wyoming Medical Center, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Wyoming State Forestry Division, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Forest Service, Casper-Natrona County Health Department, Wyoming Office of Homeland Security and Natrona County Medical Reserve Board.
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