CASPER, Wyo. — US Highway 26-287 remains closed Wednesday to all travel between Dubois and Moran Junction over Togwotee Pass after the Fish Creek Fire’s eastern flank reached the roadway over Labor Day weekend, according to incident managers.
WYDOT said Wednesday that the estimated reopening time is unknown.
The fire was 54% contained and sitting around 15,000 acres heading into Labor Day but sprouted new growth on the western flank on Monday, according to an incident command update. Wednesday’s update puts the fire at 17,912 acres.
On Tuesday, properties in the Brooks Lake Road, Pinnacle Drive and Breccia Drive areas were alerted to evacuate after burning material caused spot fires on the north side of the highway. Helicopter drop buckets took care of these fires, the largest of which was a tenth of an acre, the update said. Some crews worked through the night to prepare structure protection protocols for the evacuated areas.
“Today, crews will continue to secure the fire edge along the Highway 26 corridor and along the east flank of the fire,” said the update from Incident Commander Brent Olson. “This area remains the operational priority because of several identified critical values at risk identified as a part of the confine/point protection strategy located in this area.”
Cooler temperatures and a higher relative humidity are expected to moderate fire behavior Wednesday, though showers and thunderstorms are expected to pass to the east.
