Wyoming Ranchers Help Beat Back Red Canyon Fire, Now 75% Contained

The Red Canyon Fire near Thermopolis, Wyoming, is now 75% contained, with crews moving into mop-up mode — but before firefighters could take control, locals were already battling the flames themselves.

Jennifer and Chip Axtell, who ranch in the area, described the firestorm that erupted on August 13 after lightning struck.

“It’s like a scream,” Jennifer said. “A wind and a crackling, and a rolling all at once.”

With fire racing toward their land, the couple grabbed water tanks, tractors, and trucks, joined by neighbors determined to hold the line until fire crews arrived.

“We had two tractors, about three vehicles full of people. I had my water tank in the back of my truck,” Chip said.

Together, the group cut fire lines, redirecting the flames and buying precious time. Wind shifts also played in their favor.

“We were successful in stopping that from coming any further this direction,” Chip added.

Now, with containment lines secure, firefighting teams are working to repair dozer tracks and restore land scorched across more than 124,000 acres. The blaze has hit ranchers hard, destroying grasslands critical for cattle.

“This fire affected a lot of the ranchers and obviously grass is very important to them,” said incident commander Jay Mickey.

The Axtells say their cattle are safe, thanks to neighbors who pitched in.

“Everyone just pulled together and worked really hard,” Jennifer said.

While they’re grateful, they know others lost more.

The Red Canyon Fire isn’t Wyoming’s only concern. The Dollar Lake Fire in Sublette County has exploded past 11,000 acres with zero containment, prompting Governor Mark Gordon to issue an emergency order and activate National Guard support. Another blaze, the Willow Creek Fire, has burned nearly 4,000 acres and forced evacuations.

For now, the Red Canyon fight is easing. But across Wyoming, fire season is far from over.

With input from Oil City News, Buckrail, and Q2 Montana’s News Leader Billings.