ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. – A wildfire in the Currant Creek Watershed Area, northwest of Little Mountain and south of Rock Springs, began Sunday, Sept. 1, at approximately 1 p.m. More than 380 acres is involved, with 5 percent of the fire contained as of Monday afternoon. The fire is within The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rock Springs Field Office (RSFO) area of management. One hundred BLM High Desert District (HDD) firefighters are on the scene employing full suppression tactics to extinguish it.

“Our firefighting personnel are making significant progress using aircraft and ground crews,” said Timothy Sherman, HDD duty officer. “This fire was from natural causes (lighting).”

The current fire danger is very high. The public is asked to use extra caution during this holiday weekend. Although the Currant Creek Fire was caused naturally, the majority of our local fires this year were started by humans. Please note these safety steps to help prevent wildfires:

When recreating, keep campfires small and in the fire ring. When you depart make sure the fire is Completely OUT.

When driving, stay on the pavement or dirt roads. Driving or parking off-road through dry vegetation can ignite a wildfire. Off-highway vehicles must have a spark arrestor.

When towing trailers, make sure your trailer is roadworthy. Blown tires or dragging chains can throw sparks and easily ignite a roadside fire.

When operating equipment, never operate equipment that produces sparks near dry vegetation. Always have a cleared area around your workspace. The dimension of the area should be increased if dry, windy conditions exist. Always have safety equipment available, including fire extinguisher, shovels, etc…
When burning debris, ensure burn barrels have a metal screen spark arrester. Contact your local fire department for information on burning restrictions in your area.

Report all fires to 911 or Casper Dispatch at 1-800-295-9953. For more information about BLM Wyoming, please visit www.blm.gov/wyoming.