Bad days in the Badlands: Three fires burn area

Most recent fire affects almost 800 acres

WORLAND – A mid-morning Saturday fire, christened the “Chain Fire,” burned approximately 778 acres of Bureau of Land Management land along U.S. Highway 16 east of Worland, before being 100 percent contained Saturday evening by responding agencies.

First reported at 11:52 a.m., the Chain Fire is suspected to be human-related, although the matter is still under investigation.

“Witnesses stated what appeared to be a chain dragging from a vehicle,” said Worland Fire Department Chief Chris Kocher, as a possible cause to the fire, starting along U.S. Highway 16 before spreading north.

Chief Kocher attributes the continuing fire hazard in the area of the Hidden Dome to a variety of catalysts, including an abundance of cheatgrass and perennials that benefitted from heavy spring moisture.

The Worland Fire District will be publishing a field notice for the area on their Facebook page, to alert residents and travelers of the fire dangers due to dry weather and vegetation.

Last Thursday, a multi-agency call to respond to the “Speedgoat Fire” in the same area was sent out at approximately 4:39 p.m. from the Worland Volunteer Fire Department, and by Friday afternoon, the BLM verified 1,600 acres had been affected. That fire was contained Friday evening.

According to BLM spokesperson Sarah Beckwith, firefighters from Big Horn County, Worland and Ten Sleep, and air tankers from National Aviation Resources stationed in Greybull responded to fight the Saturday blaze.

“They response was almost identical to the Speedgoat fire,” said Beckwith, noting that no structures were damaged in this or previous fires at the location.

The first major fire in the same area this year was the Hidden Dome Fire, on July 6.