Wyoming’s Red Canyon Fire balloons to over 107,000 acres amid evacuations, emergency order

A major wildland fire outside Thermopolis escalated significantly over the weekend, driving further evacuation warnings and an increasing federal response as the burn stretched from Hot Springs County to the borders of Fremont and Washakie counties.

The Red Canyon Fire began Aug. 13, and by Monday evening covered more than 107,000 acres — an area nearly the size of Denver — as strong winds and dry grass fueled its growth. The fire remains 11 miles east of Thermopolis, and evacuation orders so far appear limited to mostly rural areas. It is burning across ridges and creek drainages dominated by grassland and brush.

WyoFile has sought an estimate of the number of homes affected by the evacuation orders, but has so far not received one from official sources. There are “numerous structures t