Elk Fire Now 73% Contained as Activity Slows and Recovery Efforts Begin
Firefighters in northern Wyoming have made significant strides toward containing the Elk Fire, which as of Saturday morning reached 73% containment, K2 Radio reports.
This wildfire, which has burned approximately 96,955 acres, has seen a substantial decrease in fire activity, allowing emergency personnel to begin lifting evacuation orders and reopening area roads.
Containment progress on Friday and Saturday included substantial work in line construction and suppression repair, the latter of which is an essential part of wildfire recovery. According to Nick Ostrom, operations section chief trainee, fire crews have built more than 155 miles of fire lines during the Elk Fire’s active phase. In just the past four days, they completed roughly 65 miles of suppression repair, which helps limit soil erosion and mitigate environmental impacts across the wildfire’s perimeter.
Suppression repair is only the first stage of post-wildfire recovery, followed by Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) and long-term restoration. The BAER phase is currently underway, with a focus on quickly assessing burned watersheds to identify any lingering hazards. The third phase, reforestation and habitat restoration, will work to restore ecosystems in areas unlikely to recover naturally.
As fire behavior has eased, officials are lifting emergency restrictions, reopening Highway 14, and allowing residents to return to previously evacuated areas. With containment lines holding steady and fire growth stalling, recovery crews can continue efforts to restore the landscape to its pre-fire condition.
