Heavy smoke from nearby wildfires blankets Casper area early Thursday

CASPER, Wyo. – Natrona County and Casper is under a blanket of smoke early Thursday as wildfires burn between nearby Glenrock and Douglas.

The fire led to the temporarily closure of Interstate 25 on Wednesday afternoon, according to authorities and WYDOT. As of 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, Interstate 25 is now listed as open.

Casper Fire issued a release early Thursday asking citizens to be aware of the fires after being inundated with calls. “We appreciate the members of our community being vigilant, however, our 911 system is being overloaded with calls concerning the smoke,” they said. They ask to not hesitate to call if a fire or smoke from a residence is seen, but to refrain from “smoke in the area” and related calls.

Interstate 90 between Buffalo and Gillette is currently closed due to wildfire in that area, according to WYDOT. Those fires are believed to have been sparked by lightning strikes, according to officials.

According to David King, Campbell County Emergency Management coordinator, a pre-evacuation notice is in effect for rural subdivisions west of Gillette and south of Interstate 90, including those near Force Road. The notice also extends north to Arvada along Highway 14-16 in response to the actively burning Flat Rock Fire. 

A second pre-evacuation notice affecting areas north of Gillette has been extended to include all areas north of Rawhide Mine to Horse Creek Road as efforts to contain the Constitution Fire continue, according to CCEM. Evacuation notices have been issued for recreational areas north of Gillette, including Burnt Hollow and Weston Hills. 

The Bureau of Land Management said on social media that they have sent crews to the area for assistance, and a large airtanker had been ordered. The fires are described as fast-moving and wind-driven, according to the BLM.