Fire & Weather Alert
Fire Risk Remains High Across Central Wyoming Ahead of Cooldown
Red Flag Warnings remain in effect across central Wyoming as critically low humidity and powerful wind gusts create dangerous fire conditions heading into midweek, though a cold front later this week promises some relief.
The National Weather Service office in Riverton has extended Red Flag Warnings for Natrona County and surrounding areas through Monday night, citing a combination of relative humidity levels as low as 11 percent and sustained west winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts reaching 45 mph.
"These conditions are extremely conducive to rapid fire spread," said NWS meteorologist Brian Caldwell. "Any spark — whether from equipment, vehicles, or discarded cigarettes — could ignite a fast-moving wildfire in the current environment."
The warnings come on the heels of an unusually warm and dry March that has left vegetation across the region parched and highly flammable. Casper recorded temperatures in the low 80s last week, threatening to break the city's all-time March heat record.
Natrona County Emergency Management has urged residents to avoid outdoor burning, ensure vehicles are not parked on dry grass, and keep fire extinguishers accessible. The county's fire danger rating has been elevated to "Very High" since mid-March.
A cooldown is expected to arrive by Thursday, with temperatures dropping into the low 50s and a chance of precipitation by Friday that could ease conditions. However, fire officials caution that the underlying drought will persist.
"One rain event isn't going to solve the problem," said Natrona County Fire District Chief Tom Marken. "We're looking at what could be a very active fire season if we don't get sustained moisture."
The warnings follow two weeks of elevated fire activity across the region, including the 6,287-acre Sandpiper Fire east of Casper and a grass fire on the city's edge on March 18 that destroyed a camper.
Check back for updated fire weather forecasts and conditions.
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