All but one horse survive in Sweetwater County fire; blaze near Lovell still burns

Two fires that started a little more than two hours apart in two parts of Wyoming over the weekend have scorched approximately 2,000 acres including federal BLM land, signaling what fire officials warn could be a volatile season ahead.

The Scotts Bottom fire was reported just before 5 p.m. Saturday. Forty-two firefighters from multiple departments responded to the blaze, which threatened a beloved nature preserve inside the Green River city limits. Horses housed in corrals were turned loose; one horse broke its leg trying to escape and had to be euthanized. A total of 40 acres were scorched. Eight to 10 corrals sustained fire damage, as did three homes on private land.

Three factors made fighting the fire challenging: extremely dry vegetation, high winds and lack of access to water. Twice firetrucks had to leave to drive up a hill to the nearest fire hydrant to fetch more water. The cause is under investigation, but city spokesman Steve Core said it was human caused.

Community members rallied to support firefighters. Green River resident Rachael Cummings and her pastor ordered Subway sandwiches and delivered them on a side-by-side. “We pride ourselves on being the first ones to respond to our first responders,” said The Rev. Clint Scott of The Hill Church.

Meanwhile, a wildfire near Lovell was reported around 7:30 p.m. Saturday. As of Monday afternoon, the fire had grown to 1,943 acres and was about 10% contained. The cause remains undetermined. Burn restrictions were in place due to dry, warm and windy conditions in Big Horn County. A media post from the Big Horn County Fire Warden reads, “Please no burning. Our firefighters are spread thin and are all tired.”