Evacuated today from the Bighorn National Forest

sabel

This is a first for us.
Set up camp about 12:00 today in the Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming, to beat the heat down below. By 1:00 noticed smoke to the west. Drove out to the main road, US16, to determine the danger and found that the road was already barricaded and flames in sight. Was advised by the sheriff to evacuate. By the time we got back to the campground everyone that could leave was packing up. 
Broke camp in record time (including the dog, T@B and Screen Room )  while huge jet tankers and helicopters flew over head at tree top level. Not quite the way I normally leave a campground. Sure felt sorry for some of the campers that would need 24 hours to pack all of their stuff. Took us about 20 minutes.
Just got back home, both of us smell like smoke, but otherwise safe.
Think I'll stay home tomorrow no matter how hot it gets. Way too hot in the Bighorns.

Nomad

Glad you got out! Any idea what happened to those that couldn't?

Gregorio

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/bighorn/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD507379

sabel

We'll find out tomorrow maybe.
Some campers up there move in for the summer. Bring more stuff than we own. Patio furniture, bird feeders, gazibos, flower pots, mood-lighting, ATV,s, extra cars etc. It would take me a day to pack that stuff.

Ratkity

Stuff is just stuff. The Sheriff would know exactly when the critical time was for people to leave. I'd rather not tell you what Fed agency I work for, but I am well aware of how they evacuate, deploy, control and try their hardest to prevent any loss of life during these emergencies.

I hope all were safe and those continuing to battle the fires stay safe. They are dedicated and tireless. @sabel, I'm so glad you were able to get out safely. A scary situation indeed! (I have to say this) This is definitely a "campfire" story!

sabel

As of 6:00 am this morning US 16 was still closed. No word on Boulder Park Campground or how fire started.
Guess I'll spend the morning unpacking my stuff.

Nomad

Now we know, microbiologist is just Ratkity's cover identity.

ChanW

Let's see... Microbiologist, Fed agency, great sense of humor. 

It's all starting to make sense!

Ratkity

@ChanW, PXL would use the more appropriate word "warped" regarding my humor LOL!

Nomad

;-)

rkhammond

Sable, evacuation excitement aside, how did your towing go with water in your tank? Not necessarily the topic in this post...perhaps I should go back to the other? Wondering if you ended up hauling it back off the mountian

rkhammond

...in the evacuation rush. (Not sure where the rest of my sentence went from above comment)

Michigan_Mike

   

BIGHORN MOUNTAINS — U.S. 16 west of Buffalo between Hazelton Road and WYO 435 remains closed due to a fire that was reported on Friday.

According to the Wyoming Department of Transportation, there is no anticipated re-opening of this section of highway at this time. It is expected to be closed throughout Saturday and overnight.

The Hatchery Fire was discovered at approximately 1 p.m. on Friday and by 6 p.m. Friday had burned about 2,600 acres.

The fire is burning on the north side of Tensleep Canyon about 7 miles northeast of Ten Sleep.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, the Washakie and Big Horn county sheriffs issued an evacuation order Friday night for the area in the vicinity of Meadowlark Lake and the West Tensleep Lake Road corridor on the Bighorn National Forest.

The Hatchery Fire is being managed by Washakie County, the Worland Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management, the Wyoming State Forestry Division and the Bighorn National Forest.

“This is a rapidly unfolding event,” Bighorn National Forest Supervisor Bill Bass said in a press release Friday night. “Our first concern is for the safety of the firefighters and the public. We support the efforts of the sheriffs’ offices in the evacuations, which are intended to ensure the safety of the public.”

The fire will be managed as a suppression fire and resources utilized Friday included two retardant loads from a Very Large Air Tanker and additional loads from heavy and single-engine air tankers. At least two type 1 and type 3 helicopters and 60 firefighters are also working on the fire.

Additional resources have also been ordered.

The fire, according to the USFS, began on private land near U.S. Highway 16.

Meanwhile, the Arden Fire burning near Shell Reservoir and Lake Adelaide has grown to 523 acres, but has reached 35 percent containment. That fire was detected Tuesday and the cause is unknown. An area closure remains in place around that fire. 

See the map at the forest website, http://bit.ly/2a6OyQg.

sabel

Yep. That's what it looked like in camp yesterday.
We hauled all of that water up the mountain, without issue, and didn't get a chance to use a drop. Was looking forward to that Friday night shower too. 
Our plan for Friday afternoon was to go into Tensleep to the Brewery and get an Indian taco and limonade beer for dinner. Spend some time with the rock-climbers. Good beer and company.
We got as far as Leigh Creek before being stopped by the sheriff.  We could see the flames exploding along the canyon rim.

Subism

Heading out that way soon and found this useful site:  http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/

sabel

That's great!
Have to go to western Wyoming next week and can check the fire situation.
thanks

jkjenn

Not evacuated, but had to change boondocking plans at the North Rim at GCNP due to fire activity. The FS road where we planned to camp was closed due to a fire. We opted for Demote CG north of the rim. It was a reasonable distance and nice to be in an established CG with fire activity and a lot of lightning happening.