Jackson Canyon Fire becomes WY priority
Over 300 residents evacuated near Casper Mountain
by Governor Freudenthal’s office news release
August 16, 2006
(Wednesday, 8/16/06, 9:42 am update) Local, state and federal resources continue streaming into Natrona County as the wildfire that began on Casper Mountain Sunday morning becomes the top firefighting priority in the region.
Known as the Jackson Canyon fire, it covers nearly 8,000 acres. More than 300 residents have been evacuated. Casper Mountain Road and Garden Creek Road are closed to traffic. The fire swept across two communications towers on the mountain, but they remain fully functional Wednesday morning.
"It would be difficult to overestimate the sheer magnitude of the fire, the resources it is demanding and its effect on Natrona County residents," said Gov. Dave Freudenthal. "Hundreds of firefighters, heavy air tankers and multiple helicopters are already in the fray, but more help is thankfully on the way."
State Forester Bill Crapser, along with local and federal officials, is briefing Natrona County legislators, city and county elected representatives and individuals from Wyoming's congressional offices at the Natrona County Fairgrounds this morning.
A Type I incident command team, which oversees the most severe fires, based out of Utah took command of firefighting operations early Wednesday morning. It includes representative of federal, state, county and city agencies, along with volunteer firefighters, from the states of Utah, Idaho, Nevada and Washington.
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