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Elk Fire exceeds 90,000 acres; dry weather makes more fire activity likely

Crews work to remove fuels to create a fire line near Red Grade Road. (via Bighorn National Forest Facebook)

CASPER, Wyo. — A 2,590-acre increase in the Elk Fire on Monday saw the blaze surpass 90,000 acres. The wildfire now spans about 91,905 acres.

The fire is now reported as being about 26% contained, a slight drop from the day prior, when it was approximately 27% contained.

The fire intensified on Monday due to warm and dry conditions. The blaze continued to expand to the southeast and during the night crossed Rapid Creek. To compensate, firefighters used hoses to slow the fire at Forest Service Trail 238.

Further south, crews continued the ongoing work of widening and clearing trees and vegetation with heavy equipment along Red Grade Road.

Now, additional crews from the recently completed chipping operations along the 144 Road north of the fire are joining in the work along Red Grade Road.

“All our chipping has been done in there, and now we continue to patrol the line … preventing any westward movement,” section chief Mike Reed said. “It’s really helping to reduce the risk to the Little Bighorn Canyon.”

In the Burgess Junction area, firefighters are working to shore up the protection of nearby buildings and other structures, while also using heavy equipment to widen and clear the 15 and 16 Roads to create a fire line around the area.

Along the northwest edge of the fire, aerial reconnaissance crews detected some fire activity and quickly worked to create a control line and secure the area. Now, patrols will continue in the northern, northwestern and eastern portions of the fire.

“One good piece of news is that Crystal Springs and Horseshoe Meadows has been reopened to residents,” Reed said of progress made along the eastern side of the fire.

Looking ahead, weather forecasts don’t indicate the fire will stop spreading anytime soon. Monday’s temperatures will be up to 20 degrees warmer than normal for this time of year in the region, and will combine with relative humidity as low as 16% to produce a high probability that the fire will continue to see significant activity.

(via Bighorn National Forest)

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