Fire Came Within Feet Of These Wyoming Homes

We thank the firefighters who come from around Wyoming and across the nation during fire season.

But some of their amazing work goes untold.

I wish I could show you what I saw this weekend.  I saw what those firefighters saved that most people will never know about.

On Monday, the 29th of September, I was flying a small plane over what could be called the dip in the saddle of the Owl Creek Mountains in Wyoming.

Below me was the blackened earth of what was the Red Canyon Fire from this last summer.

The area the fire covered is massive.

The Red Canyon Fire in Wyoming had burned over 126,000 acres as of late August 2025, with reports indicating the total size reached approximately 126,683 acres by September 12, 2025.

Long red stripes across the black ground showed where firefighting airplanes had dropped fire retardants to try to halt the spread of the blaze.

Down below me, I saw a home with an outbuilding that was far bigger than the house, which is typical for Wyoming. It had a patch of green lawn and one big tree up against the back of the house. The tree was thick with green leaves.

Just a few yards away from the house was blackened earth from the fire.

Fire had been up above on the hills, all around, but the firefighters had not let the blaze have that little patch of land.

Watch this video below to see firefighters saving a home during the Red Canyon Fire.

My eyes scanned around the area where I saw more small homes and ranch houses, each preserved perfectly, while the land around it was devastated.

I'm sure those firefighters were not able to save everything.

But to see how many homesteads were perfectly preserved while all around, just a few yards or even a few feet away, were devastated, took my breath away.

To those who battled to save those properties, I don't have the words to describe how amazing you are.

Below are some dramatic scenes from fighting this fire.

When in tough mountain ranges like those in Wyoming, fighting a fire on the ground is close to impossible.

Just getting men and equipment into some of these areas, well, never mind.

Those burning areas must be fought from the air.

Below are some videos of air drops over the Red Canyon fire, just east of Thermopolis, Wyoming.

The next video is taken from a spotter plane. Watch for the small down flying from right to left. A large puff of fire retardant is dropped ahead of the fire.

It might not look like a lot from this vantage point, but if you were under this drop, you would know how powerful it was.

This next drop, in the video below, is a lot closer.

A big tanker from Casper, Wyoming, swings over and drops an amazing amount of retardant in a small area.

Once again, they are attempting to put it in front of the fire to prevent it from spreading any further.

Now let's see a pilot's point of view.

This gentleman is in a plane that you usually see as a crop duster.

It's been modified for firefighting.

Next, we get a quick view of a tanker drop close to some firefighters.

They are waiting just below a ridge when the plane flies over and drops.

Here again, we see how high the fire can get when it erupts in the trees.

Evacuations: A new evacuation order has been issued for the Red Canyon Fire. The evacuation area is south of Buffalo Creek Road, east of Jones Creek Road, and west of Reck Road from the fire area to the Fremont County line. This includes all of Kirby Creek, Lake Creek, Bridger Creek, and the Pack Saddle area.

Kirby Creek Road between Red Hole Road and Buffalo Creek Road was previously evacuated.

For evacuation information, please go to: https://www.facebook.com/hotspringscoso/

Closures: Buffalo Creek Road at the cattle guard for the dirt road is closed. No traffic will be allowed to pass. Black Mountain Road from Cowboy Mine Rd eastbound traffic is closed. (Watch Duity).

For closure information, please go to: https://www.facebook.com/hotspringscoso/