Sunday, August 20, 2006

All Evacuations have now been lifted!! Yeah!
Sunday Evening Update:
All Evacuations have now been lifted!! All residents can now return to thier homes.
Non-residents are asked to stay out of these areas for the time being.
When you are traveling home, please drive carefully. There will be heavy traffic on these roads, both from returning residents, fire fighting vehicles, and firefighters who are traveling on foot. Please pull over and give the right of way to fire fighting vehicles, regardless of whether they are traveling with lights and sirens on.
What you should do upon returning to your home:
Inspect the outside of your home for damage. Look for burned areas, and make sure that the structural integrity of your home is intact before entering.
Check propane tanks for fire damage. If a propane tank appears damaged, have it inspected before using it.
Check electrical boxes for fire damage, and look for damaged wires and plugs. If the breaker switch is off, go ahead and turn it on, but if it shuts itself off again, have it inspected by an electrician.
Check well heads. If they are damaged, have the water tested before drinking it.
People who are returning to their homes should watch out for several major hazards:
Hot spots. The fire can still be burning even when there are no flames to be seen. Forests have deep mats of pine needles that are often mistaken for dirt. Flames can smolder in these pockets for weeks afterward, occasionally igniting logs, trees, and bushes on the surface. Fire crews will continue to look for these hot spots with thermal imagery equipment. Once found, they can be dug up and extinguished, but it is unlikely that these hotspots will be fully extinguished until after the first heavy snowfall.
Ash Pits. Stumps can burn into large ash pits. What looks like a small patch of ash might be a soft pit that is several feet deep. These pits remain hot for days after the fire is out, and they are especially dangerous for children and animals.
Watch for dust, loose soil, and rocks. The fire and the water drops will have dislodged a great deal soil. Be wary while walking or driving.
Sharp stabs (pongee stakes). The fire can leave sharp, jagged branches and stumps. People who walk in this area should wear sturdy shoes and gloves.
Partially burned trees. Many partially burned trees will fall in the coming days.
Law enforcement will still be patroling the fire areas. Non-residents are discouraged from entering the fire areas.

General Fire Information:
The fire is now 95% contained. The fire has not grown in size for several days. The Federal Interagency Team has started to demob and release resources. They will keep as many fire fighters and as much equipment as is needed to continue the scaled down operation.
Fire crews will be working toward full containment in the coming days while other fire crews will be eliminating hotspots through the interior of the fire zone, and crews with hand tools and heavy equipment will be attempting to clean up the fire lines that were created by bulldozers over the last few days.
Due to hotspots and residual heat, trees and surface fuels will continue to ignite in the coming weeks, especially when the wind blows. Residents in the affected areas will likely see smoke and flame for weeks to come. If you spot flames or smoke on the edge of the fire zone, contact the Natrona County Fire Protection District immediately. But if you see flames or smoke in the interior of the the fire zone, please take note of it,and keep an eye on it. This sort of occurence is normal. If you are concerned about any fire activity call the fire department and they will investigate it.

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