Wildfire Causes Evacuation Near Woods Landing
A wildfire Southwest of Laramie has caused the evacuation of residents along Fox Creek road near the community of Woods Landing. As of 10 a.m. (Monday, July 2), the fire is said to be over 7,000 acres and growing rapidly.
According to the Albany County Sheriff's Office, an "Urgent Code Red Evacuation Notice" has been issued for all residents from Jelm Mountain on the south, north along Sheep Mountain and all the way to Highway 130. This included the west side of Highway 230 and Sheep Mountain, up to Lake Hattie. Further comment could not be obtained from the Sheriff's office as of this posting.
The website InciWeb says that the Squirrel Creek Fire was discovered Saturday afternoon around 1:00 PM. It is believed that the blaze started in the Squirrel Creek drainage in the Medicine Bow National Forrest. Red Flag conditions, beetle-killed timber and dry fuel in the area are contributing to the fire. The cause has not yet been determined.
Emergency crews worked Saturday into the night removing unburned fuels from the fire's path. Air crews were also dispatched to fight the fire.
Sunday, fire crews and Albany County Sheriff's officials worked to evacuate the residents of the Fox Creek Road area. Members of the U.S. Forest Services were observed at the scene as well.
As of 10:15 PM Sunday night, a "pre-evacuation notice" remains in effect for residents of Albany and Fox Park. The notice says "The Squirrel Creek Fire between Fox Creek Road and Highway 230 is unpredictable. We recommend that all be prepared to evacuate on short notice. This is a pre-evacuation notice that should be taken seriously. Please do not call dispatch at this time."
The KOWB News Center will post more information as it becomes available. The multiple wildfires in the region are causing a smoky haze in Laramie. Be sure to take precautions if you have health concerns.