In August, an event occurred for which we had been preparing for years, but hoped would never occur. A major fire burned on Casper Mountain.

On Friday evening, August 11, a dry thunderstorm blew through Casper. Several fires were ignited in the county, but one lay dormant on the west end of Casper Mountain until Monday morning, August 14, when it burst into flames. The dry conditions following a prolonged drought and winds caused the Jackson Canyon Fire to become a major incident. By that afternoon, Governor Dave Freudenthal had declared a state of emergency for the area and a Type 1 Incident Management Team was ordered.

By Wednesday, hundreds of residents had been evacuated and commercial properties and communication towers were threatened. Structure protection was a high priority. Rough terrain hampered containment efforts, as well as extreme fire behavior with wind driven runs, spotting, and group torching. Flames reached into the sky as high as 250 feet.

At the peak of the fire, 588 total personnel, 13 crews, 35 engines, and 7 helicopters as well as aerial tankers were assigned to the incident. A total of 55,000 gallons of red fire retardant and about 340,000 gallons of water were used to contain the blaze.

By the time it was over, almost 12,000 acres of timber, brush, and grass had burned, along with ten structures and one vehicle. Fortunately, no one was hurt and no permanent residences were destroyed.

Local resources were quickly overwhelmed. On September 15, a community fundraiser took place to help the agencies that offered support during the fire. Over $60,000 was raised to help the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming, the Humane Society and more.

The Casper Mountain Fire Department, of which I am a volunteer, also had a fundraiser. We have compiled a collection of some of the most dramatic photographs of the Jackson Canyon Fire incident 2006. These include shots by firefighters on the line, aerial photographs, and others. They were donated for use in our 2007 calendar by some of the areas best photographers. All proceeds from this calendar go to the Casper Mountain Volunteer Fire Department and will be used for purchasing equipment. The first printing quickly sold out and more were printed. These are available for $15 each, but they aren’t expected to last long. Let me know how many you need. Quantity discounts are available.  For more info on the fire and calendar, read an article in the Casper Journal .