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Mostly clear. Becoming windy late. Low 63F. WNW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph.
Mostly clear. Becoming windy late. Low 63F. WNW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph.
Mostly sunny skies. High 88F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Jacob McClure, a Bureau of Land Management firefighter, joined the team of firefighters working to quickly extinguish a small grass fire Feb. 8, 2022, on Rodeo Lane in northern Buffalo. Although fire restrictions are not yet in place in Sheridan County, officials say they may be coming soon and are already in place in neighboring Johnson County.
Jacob McClure, a Bureau of Land Management firefighter, joined the team of firefighters working to quickly extinguish a small grass fire Feb. 8, 2022, on Rodeo Lane in northern Buffalo. Although fire restrictions are not yet in place in Sheridan County, officials say they may be coming soon and are already in place in neighboring Johnson County.
SHERIDAN — While there are no fire restrictions in place on Sheridan County Game and Fish Commission lands yet, officials say fire danger is very high and advise caution.
“The fire danger right now is high to very high, and on days when it’s 100 degrees, hot and dry with a predicted humidity down to about 14%, that danger is definitely very high,” Sheridan County Fire Warden Chris Thomas said.
“A few days of this (weather) will dry things out quickly, and all the weekly rains I was hoping for haven’t shown up yet,” he continued.
Stage One restrictions are likely coming, according to Thomas, and already in place in Johnson County. Sheridan County restrictions come down from the Board of County Commissioners, and Thomas has requested that the subject be added to the July 19 agenda.
“We will probably begin fire restrictions in the not-too-distant future, but it won’t be Rodeo weekend,” he said.
Wyoming Game and Fish Department Sheridan Region Public Information Specialist Tina Schmidt said fire bans on WGFD-commission-owned lands usually follow county bans.
“We will follow if Sheridan County enters into fire restrictions,” she said.
There is already a fire ban on commission-owned lands in Johnson and Crook counties, in effect now for Johnson County and to begin on July 22 for Crook County.
Lands included in the ban are the Bud Love, Ed O. Taylor and Sand Creek Wildlife Habitat Management Areas.
“The Sheridan region has experienced near normal precipitation for the first time in three years, resulting in increased grass production compared with previous years,” said WGFD Sheridan Region Habitat and Access Coordinator Nathan Lindsey. “The increase in production and high temperatures have raised the potential for fires in our area. In order to reduce potential impact to the land and forage that is crucial for wintering wildlife, we have decided to implement a fire ban alongside county regulations on commission-owned lands.”
Thomas said the county also works closely with the Bureau of Land Management when it comes to fire bans. As of Friday morning, the fire danger was high to very high on the Bighorn National Forest, but campfires were allowed. Officials with the BNF said that could change even by Friday afternoon, and to check before having a fire in the Forest.
In Sheridan County, one of the most popular WGFD Commission-owned camping destinations is the Tongue River Canyon, which are a handful of campsites that have established campfire rings.
“At this time, we don’t have a ban there, but you do have to have the fire within that established campfire ring,” Schmidt said.
She also recommended extra caution with cigarettes and off-road vehicles or ATVs, especially in tall grass as the exhaust and the heat from the engine can start a fire.
“If you’ve been driving around for a while, and you pull off on the side of the road, don’t stick around if you are in tall grass,” she said.
Most of the WGFD Commission areas affected by fire are wildlife habitat management areas.
“These are properties the Game and Fish Commission purchased decades ago, in some cases, specifically for protecting big game winter range. They are all important winter ranges for elk and deer and other wildlife,” Schmidt said. “A fire anywhere is potentially catastrophic, but a late season fire on one of these properties could significantly impact winter forage for wildlife.”
Thomas urged common sense precautions this weekend throughout the county, even without a fire ban in place.
“If you’re going to take your boat to the lake or up to the mountain, make sure that the chains aren’t dangling on the road,” he said. “It’s a good idea to have the bearings greased or checked regularly. There was one guy with an empty trailer, and he was just booking it, starting fires from the lake to town.”
Crews are beginning to mow along county roads, which reduces fire fuel, but when it is this dry, common sense is the best prevention, he said. Fireworks are not allowed, which he said should include exploding targets. For those having a backyard fire, Thomas recommended having water and tools nearby to put it out. A fire should be cold to the touch to be considered extinguished.
“When the firefighters are out there mopping up a fire, they’re reaching down there with their hands. They take the gloves off,” Thomas said.
The county’s firefighting resources are not that deep, he continued.
“We don’t have a lot of them, and a lot of them want to spend their weekend with their family. If they are up in the stands on Rodeo weekend, they really don’t want to miss out,” Thomas said. “If folks are careful and use common sense, it will make for a quiet weekend."
As part of the Game and Fish Commission ban in Johnson and Crook counties, the following acts are prohibited on all commission-owned or administered lands in those counties:
• Building, maintaining or using a fire, charcoal grill, coal or wood burning stove.
• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.
• Fires within established campfire rings.
For more information about the fire ban on Game and Fish Commission lands, contact the Sheridan Region Game and Fish Office at 307-672-7418.
The more people are out and about, the more likely there are to be bear encounters, Game and Fish Sheridan Region Public Information Specialist Tina Schmidt said when asked about potential summer issues on Game and Fish Commission owned lands.
“We always want to encourage people to keep a clean camp, because we don’t want bear conflicts,” she said.
When bears come out of the den in the spring, they’re looking for food, and are on a continual mission to pack on weight.
“Bears are always trying to accumulate calories,” Schmidt said. “When people leave food out, that teaches them that people can be a source of food from their garbage or coolers.”
WGFD bear safety tips include:
• Never store attractants in your tent
• Store all food, garbage and any other odorous items in locations inaccessible to bears. If available, store attractants inside a vehicle, hard sided campers, horse trailers, bear canisters or bear boxes.
• In the backcountry, store food and coolers suspended from a tree at least 10 to 15 feet high and 4 feet away from the tree trunk. Sleeping area should be at least 100 yards away from food storage and the eating or cooking area.
• All pet food and livestock should be properly stored.
• Keep clothes worn while cooking stored with food and other attractants.
• Burn all grease off camp stoves.
• Wipe down eating and cooking area after each use.
• Do not bury garbage; bears will just dig it up.
• Dispose of all garbage properly and pack out any remaining garbage.