The Weiser Knoll wildfire, Wyoming’s biggest fire of the year, remains uncontained with 0% containment as of the last official report. The fire, which started on Sunday afternoon due to an overheated trailer wheel bearing, has consumed 16,300 acres.

Fighting the Fire

Fire crews are utilizing both ground and air resources to combat the fire. Aerial combat involves the use of planes that drop a fire suppressant, known as slurry, to help contain the fire. This slurry is biodegradable and is colored red so pilots can see where it has been dropped, aiding in the creation of a fire line.

Helicopters are also being used to drop large buckets of water on sudden flare-ups, helping to prevent the fire from spreading. The strategy behind fighting the fire is to deny fuel to its advancement, thereby stopping its spread.

Casper’s Air Wildfire Battle Base

The Casper/Natrona County International Airport has been upgraded with a new air wildfire battle base. This base, which is a collaboration between the BLM, Wyoming State Forestry Division, and U.S. Forest Service, is the only one in the country jointly built by the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service.

The base has the capability to load two planes at once, with a maximum daily output of 80,000-90,000 gallons of mixed retardant. This is a significant increase from the previous 15,000-gallon output. Future plans include the construction of a new heli-base adjacent to the SEAT/LAT base for the State Forestry Division.

Original reporting: K2 Radio (Casper) — read the source article.