Episode Details

It's time to take a look at what's happening around Wyoming, for Friday, September 13th. 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"

A fast-moving and unpredictable wildfire near the Wyoming-Montana border has prompted an urgent evacuation notice for residents and ranchers north of Recluse in Campbell County.

The Short Draw Fire was discovered about 2 p.m. Wednesday, but exploded to an estimated 20,000 acres overnight - and as of Thursday afternoon had grown to over 30,000 acres. Cowboy State Daily's Greg Johnson reports that firefighting crews on both sides of the Wyoming-Montana border are working furiously to save homes and ranches from the volatile and out-of-control wildfire.

"The Campbell County Fire Department said, you know, they are feeling pretty stretched, having already fought several very large wildfires this season, and this is just another one, but that there are actively working around people's homes, trying to save those homes until other help can can arrive and they can try to get a handle on the fire."

For now, a cause of the fire hasn't been determined. What fire officials know is that it appears to have started near some structures and a road. But along with the Short Draw Fire, local firefighters continue to battle and monitor numerous other fires around Campbell County.

Read the full story HERE.

The future of University of Wyoming's athletics competing in the Mountain West Conference has become much more uncertain.

The Pac-12 Conference announced Thursday morning that it's poaching some of the most prominent schools in the Mountain West Conference to fill holes left by a host of big-name schools who exited the conference last year, like UCLA, USC, Oregon, Washington and the University of Colorado.

But Cowboy State Daily's Leo Wolfson reports that the schools that are leaving the Mountain West Conference for the new "Pac-2" will change the dynamics of Wyoming Cowboy Athletics.

"The four schools that are leaving Colorado State, Fresno State, Boise State and San Diego State are some of the strongest programs in the conference, and it puts Wyoming in kind of a precarious position moving forward…Wyoming could still theoretically be one of the teams selected to join the PAC 12. They still need to get more teams, and it wouldn't be out of the question."

The conference, which some people now refer to as the Pac-2, only has two members now, Oregon State and Washington State. Wyoming will play at Washington State for its season finale November 30th.

Read the full story HERE.

When it comes to bragging rights this deer season, Ryder Seely of Wheatland already has everyone else beat.

Stalking to within bowshot range of a big mule deer buck is tough enough in perfect conditions. And outdoors reporter Mark Heinz says Seely did it with his napping 1-year-old daughter in a kiddie pack on his back.

"Late Tuesday, he connected with or, or thought he got a good arrow into a pretty sizable mule deer buck. But of course, it got dark right after he took the shot, so he said, I'm not going to try to try to be up here in the dark trying to find this deer… So I thought, Okay, I will go home, rest up, come back in the morning and come back and get my deer. So he wakes u