Western Wyoming fires spur evacuations, close highway, backcountry

SUBLETTE COUNTY -- As the Dollar Lake Fire near Green River Lakes burned thousands of acres of dense timber over the weekend, the Willow Creek forest fire erupted at the south end of Star Valley and forced people from their homes.

One hundred forty-one firefighters are fighting the blazes on the Bridger-Teton National Forest. There have been no official reports of lost structures or homes.

The Star Valley Willow Creek Fire was first reported Friday and swelled to almost 4,000 acres by Sunday. As it licked the asphalt of U.S. 89 — a scenic byway between Wyoming and Idaho — on Saturday night, it forced an hours-long closure of the route, creating a backup a couple of miles long.

State Sen. Dan Dockstader, who owns the Star Valley Independent, witnessed a standoff at the highway’s Salt Riv