Firefighters Gain Ground on Dollar Lake Blaze in Wyoming’s Wind River Range

The Dollar Lake Fire, burning across the rugged slopes of Wyoming’s Green River Valley since August 21, has now scorched more than 15,000 acres. Crews are working around the clock, and containment has ticked up to 22% as of August 31, according to the Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Firefighters are hitting the blaze from every angle. Along the west and north sides, where the terrain is a little more forgiving, crews are focused on mop-up and patrol work. But on the steeper, harder-to-reach slopes near Red Cliff Bible Camp and Little Sheep Mountain, the job gets tougher. There, teams are cutting new fire lines and taking extra steps to protect the camp, all while scouting for new flare-ups.

The weather isn’t doing them any favors. Warm, dry conditions are expected to stick around, which means smoke will likely be more visible and progress harder to come by—at least until a chance of rain later in the week.

So far, closures stretch across much of the Green River Lakes valley and areas to the south. A five-mile evacuation zone remains in place around Dollar Lake and the Bible camp, with warnings extending into Kendall Valley near Cora and residential spots along Moose Gypsum Road, Hill Road, and Valley View Trail. Local officials are urging residents south of Richard Lane to stay ready to leave on short notice.

The fire has touched daily life in Cora, Kendall Valley, and Pinedale, while outdoor recreation sites and outfitter camps in the Green River Lakes area remain under threat. Despite the challenges, firefighters say progress is being made.

For those outside the evacuation zone but living under smoky skies, health officials recommend:

• Tracking air quality with a free app.
• Keeping windows shut and HVAC systems on recirculate.
• Running a high-quality air purifier indoors.
• Staying inside as much as possible—and wearing a KN95 if you have to go out.

Real-time updates, including evacuation maps and fire perimeters, are available through Watch Duty and the Bridger-Teton National Forest Facebook page.

With input from Oil City News and IQAir.