Episode Details

It's time to take a look at what's happening around Wyoming, for Monday, August 26th. I'm Wendy Corr, bringing you headlines from the Cowboy State Daily newsroom - brought to you by ServeWyoming - Wyoming's center for volunteerism and AmeriCorps service for the last 30 years! For volunteer opportunities, visit ServeWyoming dot org"

While progress is being reported on efforts to fight the 175,000-acre House Draw Fire burning in Johnson County, Wyoming, another huge wildfire nearby continues to grow at a frightening rate.

The Remington Fire that started in northern Wyoming then ran north into Montana exploded Friday from about 18,000 acres to nearly 130,000. Cowboy State Daily's Clair McFarland reports that the fire's explosive growth caught firefighters off guard.

"It went from being kind of the the ugly stepchild where, you know, wasn't getting aerial resources on Thursday, Sheridan firefighters were Sheridan county firefighters were just doing the best they could and making burn lines. And then now we're seeing that it just plumed into southern Montana."

McFarland spoke to a number of ranchers and other landowners who are doing everything they can to halt the spread of the fire.

"Construction crews are bringing their dozers out and gouging out those lines. And we're seeing any one that has a weed sprayer on his truck is loading it up with water and going out to help… So you see this Wyoming culture of just being mechanical, of knowing how to drive big rigs, of happening to have a sprayer on your truck is is really coming to bear here, and in the best sort of way."

Read the full story HERE.

The devastating effects of the House Draw Fire near Buffalo has caused losses of not only livestock, but also the land that sheep and cattle graze on. Cowboy State Daily's Pat Maio went to Johnson County to talk to ranchers and Basque sheepherders whose livelihoods have been impacted by the blaze.

"It's going to be a real, real issue for some of the sheep people here... They had to cut fencing, which means you have to destroy it… to let the sheep escape the fire down in that area, it just blew my mind when I saw the devastating impact of the fire down there… the big concern is that, you know, the prairie land has gotten burned up. There's nowhere for the sheep to go back to eat. And you know, where do you know there you have to have winter feed for these animals, and it's not, not going to be there."

Federal Emergency Management Agency's District 8 headquarters in Denver authorized the use of federal money last week to help with firefighting costs for the House Draw Fire.

Read the full story HERE.

Another fire miles away from the House Draw and Remington fires is threatening one of Wyoming's most iconic properties. Cowboy State Daily's Renee Jean reports that there's an all-out effort on to protect the Brooks Lake Lodge on the western edge of the Shoshone National Forest from the Fish Creek Fire.

"They put a sprinkler system, actually, around all of the historic buildings there that's going to be turned on if the fire comes that way, to keep the humidity high in the area and try to wet the area down and keep fire from ever even taking foot in that area. I'm told that the firefighters will stay on the scene as long as possible to fight the fire. They've also set things up, though, so that hopefully the buildings can stand on their own. If you know, the fire becomes too intense and they can't stay there."