Elk Fire update (as of Oct. 2, 5:15 a.m.) | Local News

UPDATE: 5:15 a.m., October 2nd

Due to the rapidly changing conditions of the Elk Fire, evacuation orders were issued for Pass Creek Road and Twin Creek Road west of Parkman, as well as the Tongue River Canyon west of Dayton, where the pavement turns to dirt.

Additionally, residents of the City of Parkman and north of Parkman, on both the east and west sides of Highway 345 to the Montana state line, are now subject to a pre-evacuation or “readiness” notice. This does not apply to the Hersey Road area. Residents in the “ready state” should be prepared to evacuate if necessary. Rescue workers have contacted all affected residents directly.

The City of Dayton is currently neither in an Evacuation Warning nor in Ready status.

UPDATE: 12:38 a.m., October 2nd

DAYTON – Due to worsening fire conditions near Dayton, Sheridan County School District 1 is advised to keep Tongue River High School students and staff online on Oct. 2.

Emergency management staff contacted SCSD1 Superintendent Jeff Jones at 12:15 a.m. and advised TRHS students and staff not to go online until Wednesday.

“I will continue to stay in touch as I receive more information tomorrow morning,” Jones said in an email to SCSD1 staff and families. “Please continue to pray for our firefighters, emergency responders and all affected families.”

The Slack School is also closed.

UPDATE: 11:45 a.m. October 1st

DAYTON – Evacuations have been ordered all the residences on Pass Creek Road between East Pass Creek and Twin Creek Road and from the X-Bar X Ranch north to the state line.

The authorities have contacted residents.

The ranch is located at 846 Pass Creek Road in Parkman.

.

UPDATE: 5:00 p.m., October 1st

DAYTON – Firefighting efforts continue. The latest update includes additional burned areas, a minor injury, a planned public meeting and the return of Tongue River High School students to in-person learning.

The fire burned more than 32,000 acres

The Elk Fire grew to 32,069 acres and was burning without containment as of 9 p.m. Tuesday. Additional air and ground resources arrived on Tuesday to assist in fighting the fire.

“It is important to note that the effectiveness of air support depends on wind conditions and smoke cover,” Jesse Ludikhuize, emergency management coordinator for Sheridan County, said in a news release.

Residents in the Dayton and Ranchester areas can expect a significant increase in emergency vehicles.

Highway 14 from Dayton to Burgess Junction remains closed, and all other closures from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to service roads – see below – remain in effect.

“We are working diligently to minimize the impact on the community while keeping everyone informed,” Ludikhuize said. “Please continue to follow evacuation advice and obey all road closures. It is important to stay away from the fire area so that emergency services can work unhindered.”

The Highway 14 closure will be continually evaluated and adjustments will be made as conditions permit. Due to heavy smoke, the fire and the need to ensure the safety of emergency responders, the road remains closed.

The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., indicating critical fire weather conditions such as low humidity and high winds that could worsen the fire.

Since the fire began, six non-primary residential structures have been destroyed, including barns, outbuildings and other non-primary residential structures. All affected property owners were notified by emergency services.

A firefighter suffered non-life-threatening injuries Tuesday and had to be transported to Sheridan Memorial Hospital, where the person is currently being treated.

A larger crew takes over management

The Wyoming Type 3 Team transferred management of the fire to the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 3 at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Complex Incident Management Team 3 will hold a public meeting at Tongue River High School in Dayton on Wednesday starting at 7 p.m

The in-person meeting will be recorded and later released by the team, who will then be available to answer questions and address public concerns related to the fire.

The new incident management team took over operational leadership on Monday at 7 p.m. and all updates will come from this team. According to Ludikhuize, the group will set up a public contact number, which will be announced soon.

No donations of food or supplies are needed for firefighters or emergency personnel at this time.

Students will return to in-person classes on Wednesday

Tongue River High School students will return to the physical classroom on Wednesday.

“The situation has improved significantly near the high school and there are personnel and equipment (on the ground and in the air) in that area, which has reduced the level of risk,” said Jeff Jones, superintendent of Sheridan County School District 1 October 1 email to district parents. “Of course, we will continue to monitor the situation in the truest sense of the word. If things change, we will adapt as necessary and communicate this to all staff and families.”

As an added precaution, multiple buses and drivers will be stationed at Tongue River High School during the school day. This allows the district to evacuate the school within minutes if necessary.

High school athletic practices will resume on the afternoon of October 1st. The district will monitor air quality during outdoor activities and ensure that students with breathing problems minimize exposure or are excluded from outdoor exercise entirely if necessary. If you are a parent of a child in this situation, please contact your child's principal or coach with any questions or concerns.

Slack School will resume online classes on October 2nd.

Community support

The Sheridan County YMCA is providing shower passes to anyone displaced by the Elk Fire. Report to reception with your information and mention the firefighting measures. Additionally, the Y has room for RV parking if space allows, but does not have an electrical outlet. To reserve a spot, call to inquire about availability and fill out a check-in form at the front desk.

UPDATE: 8:38 a.m., October 1st

PARKMAN – The Elk Fire continues to burn throughout the Bighorn Mountain Range, stretching from Pass Creek Road to the Dayton area.

Tongue River High School will be closed Tuesday

Jeff Jones, superintendent of Sheridan County School District 1, said Tongue River High School will remain closed Tuesday because of the fire.

“There will be a lot of action in the Tongue River High School area as equipment and staff move, so emergency personnel have requested that we allow TRHS students and staff back out (Tuesday),” Jones said. All Tongue River High School students are taking classes online.

Travel restrictions and road closures

According to the latest Bighorn National Forest Service report, the newest routes restricted to local resident traffic are:

• Pass Creek Road, County Road 144 (from the intersection of Highway 345 and Pass Creek Road)

• Twin Creek Road (access from Parkman)

• Smith Creek Road (intersection of Highway 343 and Smith Creek Road)

• Tongue River Canyon Rd

• US Highway 14 between Dayton and Burgess Junction (as of October 1, 7 a.m., estimated opening time is unknown)

Evacuations continue to be carried out on these routes. Law enforcement and firefighters urge people to respect the closures on Pass Creek Road and the other restrictions listed.

Due to the location, nature and direction of the Elk Fire, the Wyoming Department of Transportation and Incident Command are concerned for the safety of the traveling public, hunters, campers and residents of the Burgess Junction area and are asking those individuals to evacuate the area. For fire service and public safety reasons, there is an order closing the Bighorn National Forest. The closed area is the area north of US Highway 14 and east of the border between the Medicine Wheel Ranger District and the Tongue Ranger District.

Persons with property or personal items accessible via US Highway 14 and US Highway 14A are not permitted entry.

The Bighorn Forest Service and WYDOT ask the public to avoid unnecessary travel or parking in the area that could hinder ongoing efforts to combat this fire.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol will operate gates at Dayton and Burgess Junction. It is unknown how long the closure will last.

Size and containment

Cooler temperatures aided firefighting operations Monday.

According to a Tuesday morning report from the Wyoming Type 3 Team, the fire has burned approximately 25,085 acres and is 0% contained.

There are six hand crews, three engines, four heavy equipment, two Type 1 helicopters, one Type 2 helicopter, one Type 3 helicopter and two air strikes fighting the fire.

On Monday, firefighting operations focused on the north and east sides of the fire, with crews working to clear vegetation using hand tools and setting targeted fires on the ground to expend vegetation or fuel between buildings and the fire . Air assets were deployed to support ground operations and ensure the safety of firefighters. On Tuesday, firefighters will continue to establish a fire line around the fire using aerial resources where it is safe to do so. The strategy used in this fire is complete extinguishment. The safety of firefighters and the public remains our top priority. The tactics used to fight fires are determined by the terrain, fire and weather conditions, and medical response time.

On Tuesday, temperatures are expected to be around 60°C in the fire area, winds will shift to the southwest and relative humidity will be around 18%. The change in winds may cause the fire to be active in different areas than Monday.