Highway 14 Closed In Bighorn Mountains Due To Fire

Part of Highway 14 in Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains is closed due to an out-of-control fire, along with a massive amount of smoke.

Travellers can come up HWY 14 from the west side and make their way about halfway across.

But not the east side.

This is the same situation we had with Togwotee Pass earlier this summer.

The fire makes it dangerous enough to travel the area.

The smoke, in some areas, drops the visibility down to near zero.

With all of the firefighting in the area, this stretch of highway will be closed until further notice.

Well, that escalated quickly.

Above Sheridan, Wyoming in the Bighorn mountains, a timber fire suddenly roared far beyond control in just a matter of hours.

The fire's massive smoke plume could be seen even over the horizon.

At times the smoke cloud has been big enough to form its own weather.

Social media has been filled with videos and photos of the fire's progress.

Timelapse of the fire's escalation

Most impressive is the nighttime portion of the video where you'll see how fighting those flames really are.

40-mile-an-hour winds on Sunday fanned those flames into a monster.

Fire officials provided this update:

Location: Approximately 6 miles northwest of Dayton, Wyoming
Start Date: Friday, September 27, 2024
Cause: Lightning
Size: (6,312 acres night of September 29) The fire grew at least 8 miles to the south overnight. Maps will be posted once data is available.
Percent contained: 0%
Resources: 7 Hand Crews; 3 Engines; 3 Heavy Equipment; 2 type 1 Helicopters, 1 type 2 Helicopter , 1 air attack, air tankers as available.

FIRE STATUS

Yesterday, the fire significantly increased in size.

All air operations were put on hold for several hours due to high winds.

Evacuations were issued along Pass Creek and Sheridan County Road 144, Pass Creek is closed to all non-resident traffic.

AIR QUALITY AND SMOKE

It is expected that the fire will continue to put up a smoke column, please check the AirNow website at https://www.airnow.gov/ to monitor smoke movement.

CLOSURES

A closure order is in effect to protect the safety of firefighters and the public. An area including, Forest System Roads 145,150, 114, and portions of 167 and 168 along with Forest System Trails 201, 077, and 428 will be closed to public entry.

Sheridan County has closed Pass Creek Road, Twin Creek, Smith Creek Road, and Tongue River Canyon Road to non-resident travel.

Residences have been evacuated. Law enforcement and fire personnel are contacting affected people directly. If people need shelter for livestock or themselves, please call Sheridan County Emergency Management at 307-752-2174.

Tatanka Hotshots are being briefed in the photo below on a private ranch they later defended on September 29, 2024.

Monday, September 30, 2024
The Elk fire was at 25,085 acres.

Fire managers observed a decrease in fire activity as the wind calmed.

The crews worked to secure the north and east portions of the fire ahead of the forecasted wind shift out of the southwest over the next couple of days. T

This is the typical wind pattern for the area.