Despite Containment, Sheepherder Hill Fire Remains Volatile
Though the Sheepherder Hill fire is now 100 percent contained, firefighters will continue monitoring hot spots within the blaze and removing problem trees on Casper Mountain.
Fire information officer Andy Lyon says, despite the fire being contained, volatility still remains within the fire’s containment barrier.
“The fire burned across 15,000 acres,” Lyon said. “There’s a lot of pockets, there’s a lot of gullies, and there’s stumps and roots that will smolder probably until we get a significant rainfall or snowfall.”
Lyon also reiterates that, though the fire is contained, it is not extinguished. As the fire continues burning, Lyon says residents should expect to see more smoke coming from Casper Mountain.
“Containment, in this case, means that there’s good, solid burned material, or bare ground, or road, or a combination of all of those on the outside of the fire perimeter,” Lyon said. “But in the interior, there are still pockets of fire out there and there will be for quite some time.”
Fire officials say the blaze has destroyed 37 homes and 22 outbuildings on Casper Mountain since its start on Sept. 9.