Episode Details

It's time to take a look at what's happening around Wyoming, for Thursday, October 10th. I'm Wendy Corr, bringing you headlines from the Cowboy State Daily newsroom - brought to you by the Cowboy State Daily Morning Show with Jake! From 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday, Cowboy State Daily's Jake Nichols brings to life the latest news, weather, sports and in-depth conversations that matter to you.

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When the Elk Fire was bearing down on all three sides of the Horseshoe subdivision west of Dayton, evacuating the area was the last thing on resident Warren Tritschler's mind.

He wasn't going to leave the home he and his wife spent 30 years of their lives building. So, when fire roared down the hill overnight Friday into early Saturday morning, Cowboy State Daily's Renee Jean reports that Tritschler was there with a garden hose in hand.

"He prepared for this ahead of time, you know, he filled up stock tanks. He had his garden hose all hooked up, as long as he had power for his well, he was in business. And then he had a backup weed sprayer on a buggy which held about 65 gallons… these guys are pretty determined, and they are pretty brave. I mean, he was telling me about a guy who drove his truck right through a wall of flame eight to 10 feet tall, because he could see that the wind was pushing it into an area where it was going to go straight for Dayton."

Tritschler and other Hillbilly Hotshots, as locals have dubbed them, have worked side by side with volunteer firefighters, battling the blaze that has consumed nearly 76,000 acres so far.

Read the full story HERE.

As the Fire continues to grow, Cowboy State Daily's Greg Johnson reports that the burn area is moving toward Big Goose Canyon and the city of Sheridan's water treatment facility that's stationed there.

"The Elk fire is most active, pushing south and east, kind of following along the face of the big horns. And really made a run overnight at the water treatment plant for the city of Sheridan. That's a top priority for them to protect. They did, and it is. It is safe for now, but everybody, it's all hands on deck. They're approaching 900 people on this, on this fire now."

Read the full story HERE.

Meanwhile, an especially ornery Pack Trail Fire continues to cause problems in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Since it started Sept. 15, the Pack Trail Fire has merged with the Fish Creek Fire into a single 66,000-acre wildfire complex burning timber, brush and undergrowth in some rugged, inaccessible terrain.

Read the full story HERE.

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If it holds up, people will be able to concealed carry firearms in some areas of the Wyoming Capitol under a draft rule passed Wednesday by the State Building Commission.

Cowboy State Daily's Leo Wolfson reports that the state's top five elected officials unanimously approved the draft rule that allows unlimited concealed carry in parts of the capitol that the Building Commission has jurisdiction over.

"What was passed on a unanimous vote by the State Building Commission on Wednesday, allows people to carry firearms - conceal carry firearms - in the Wyoming capitals extension hallway. Although a hallway may not seem like a substantial amount o