JACKSON, Wyo. — As of 1:20 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 24, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) has opened US89 over Salt River Pass to all traffic, and evacuations have been ordered for the area directly north of Salt River Pass.
The Willow Creek Fire, which caused the highway to close Saturday evening, has reached 3,820 acres according to a Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF) Facebook update on Sunday morning. The blaze is burning on the Greys River Ranger District of BTNF and is 0% contained. There are 61 personnel fighting it.
According to the BTNF fire update, all attempts will be made to keep the US89 travel corridor open, though additional temporary closures may be necessary if the fire is active near the road and poses a safety hazard to fire personnel or public vehicles. All travelers need to be cautious of fire vehicles and equipment in the area as well as impacts from smoke. Drivers are asked not to pull over or park on the side of the road to view fire operations as this can pose safety hazards to emergency personnel. View the WYDOT online travel map here.
Evacuations have been ordered near the Willow Creek Fire, which are being shared via the Lincoln County Homeland Security & Emergency Management Facebook page. As of 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, all residences from milepost 75 (the vicinity of Gomm’s Pond Lane) south to Salt River Pass were ordered to evacuate. Those west of US89 from Reeves-Schwab Lane south to Gomm’s Pond Lane are instructed to be in “set” mode and to be prepared for potential evacuation should the “go” order be given (using the “Ready, Set, Go” method). A shelter has been established at the National Guard Readiness Center in Afton near the Star Valley High School. Lincoln County also shared this evacuation map.
“The fire remained very active last evening, but firefighters conducted firing operations that provided critical to keeping the fire west of the highway,” the update reads. “They were assisted with retardant drops from aircraft.”
A type 3 incident management team from Nevada has arrived and plans to take command of the fire on Sunday evening. BTNF noted that this will allow local resources to address other area fires and respond to any new fires.
