People in the potential path of an out-of-control wildfire that’s scorching its way across northwest Sheridan County may not be able to get to church services Sunday, but are doing plenty of praying.
It’s the same prayers they’ve been offering up for a week since the Elk Fire that began with a lightning strike southeast of Dayton blew up overnight last Sunday — and has continued to blow up since. After starting Saturday at more than 62,000 acres, the fire was last estimated Saturday afternoon at 76,000 acres and adjusted to 72,998 Sunday morning.
For those who’ve evacuated or been told to be ready to leave their homes, there’s a feeling of helplessness and fear at having to watch the flames and smoke advance without being able to do anything.
Chad Flanagan, a lifelong Dayton resident, told Cowboy State Daily on Saturday that it’s simply “heartbreaking”to see the face of the Bighorn Mountains that used to stand over the town like a protector instead glow orange with wildfire.
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Others haven’t been so lucky.
The Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office reports it’s confirmed at least two primary residences in the Horseshoe subdivision have burned, while the list of areas that have been evacuated has grown almost as fast as the fire.
There are some inspiring stories of hope emerging from the area as well.
A stunning photograph shared by the Wyoming Department of Transportation from a worker at Burgess Junction on the southwest side of the fire shows the successful efforts of firefighters to save a home. It stands unscathed as an island surrounded by a sea of black.
In the wake of the fire’s spread, some people have returned expecting to find their homes destroyed only to find miracles instead.
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Laura Eaton, who lives on a ranch in Wolf south of Dayton, posted about her family’s miracle to Facebook.
“The fire moved an incredible distance last night and blew through the mountains and foothills around the ranch in about three or four hours,” she wrote.
Blown by “insanely high” winds that gusted more than 60 mph, she said the fire was about 2 miles north of the ranch at about 10 p.m. Friday, then by 7 a.m. was “already about 4-5 miles south of us, (and) the ranch is about 6 miles long … along the mountains.”
She expected the worst when returning Saturday.
“Driving into the ranch, it looks really bad,” she wrote. “The majority of the lower elevations seem unaffected, but the face of the mountains, South and North Red Canyons and the hill along Gentry Field by the race track have been hit hard.
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“Driving up the ranch road and seeing all black around the hollow where the main part of the ranch is located, I was preparing for the worst. I was pretty sure it had all been wiped out.”
A WYDOT worker at Burgess Junction made a morning run Saturday to check the road conditions of what can be access and took this photo of a ranch house saved from wildfire from Sand Turn. (WYDOT District 4)
The Miracle
Instead, like that WYDOT worker, she found her home had been spared.
“Amazingly, all of the buildings have been spared,” she wrote, adding how grateful the family is to the firefighters working to protect people and property. “Of course, we have so many individuals who have put in the hours on the ground to be thankful for.”
But there’s another reason for the miracle of the Elk Fire not burning the ranch to the ground, Eaton wrote.
“Even with all the effort put into prevention and actively fighting the fire, with the conditions last night, I feel like the only reason we were spared is because of all the positive energy that has been sent our way,” she posted. “So thank you, all of you, for your love and prayers.”
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Also devastated at how the fire is impacting where he calls home is country music star Ian Munsick, who grew up in the area.
“That’s my childhood right there,” Munsick told Cowboy State Daily on Saturday. “And when I write music, those are the mountains that inspired me the most.”
Munsick has been heartsick seeing the homes and towns he loves threatened by fire. That prompted him to start a GoFundMe campaign, The Elk Fire Relief Fund, to help all the rural fire departments involved in fighting the fire.
He even kicked it off with a little donation of his own — $15,000 from himself and $15,000 from his wife, Caroline.
“We have to do our part in helping them, because we physically couldn’t be there helping,” Munsick said. “It’s been pretty crazy to see the small community just rally behind this. And we have raised quite a bit of money in the last 12 hours, which is pretty cool to see.”
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The fund has already exceeded the initial goal of $50,000 and had topped $76,000 by Sunday morning. Munsick was pleased, but not surprised to see the fund grow so quickly.
That’s just the Wyoming that he knows and loves, where there’s always a cowboy ready to lend a hand.
In this photo shared to her Facebook post about returning to her ranch after the Elk Fire moved through, Laura Eaton describes and shows how the fire didn’t get their buildings. (Laura Eaton photo via Facebook)
Still Growing
Now at nearly 73,000 acres, the fire remains “extremely active,” the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team in charge of battling the Elk Fire reports Sunday morning.
The weather also isn’t helping, with a cold front bringing dry winds and low humidity, which is blowing the fire in multiple directions. And there isn’t much relief on the way from the weather.
“Sunday is the beginning of a warming and drying trend as high pressure builds over the region,” the update says, although it’s expected to be less windy.
There are nearly 600 people working to build breaks and lines around the fire, as well as clear out or burn any fuels within where safe to do so.
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No new evacuations were ordered overnight Saturday, and none were lifted. Those area ordered to leave are:
• The area within Eaton’s Ranch Road to the intersection of Beckton Road, then south to Big Goose Road and west to Rapid Creek.
• Little Horn Canyon
• Eaton’s Ranch.
• Tongue River Canyon.
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• Pass Creek and Twin Creek roads west of Parkman.
• All homes from X-X Ranch north to the Montana state line.
• Tongue River Canyon west of Dayton where the road turns to dirt.
• The Horseshoe subdivision.
• Homes west of Beckton Road from Dayton south to the intersection of Beckton and Eaton • Ranch roads.
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• Eagle Ridge subdivision and homes directly east of U.S. Highway 14 up the mountain.
Along with Dayton now on “set” status, so are:
• South of Twin Creek Road from Parkman north of Amsden Road; also west of Highway 343, including along Smith Creek and Columbus Creek roads.
• Homes east of Tongue Canyon and Amsden roads.
The best and most current information about the Elk Fire is being posted to the U.S. Forest Service-Bighorn National Forest and Sheridan County Government Facebook pages.
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Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
When a clinic closes in Wyoming, it doesn’t just close a door; it can cut off access to care for entire communities.
For many residents, getting to a health care provider already means traveling long distances across multiple counties, and local clinics are often the only nearby option for basic health care. With one Title X Family Planning clinic in western Wyoming now closed, the challenge is becoming even more real for many people.
Reproductive and sexual health care is a key part of overall health, but it’s often one of the first services people lose access to when clinics close. Title X Family Planning is a federal program that helps people get essential preventive care, no matter their income. These clinics offer services like birth control, cancer screenings, STI and HIV testing, and care before pregnancy. They help people stay healthy, catch problems early, and plan for their futures.
The need is real. Wyoming’s Title X Family Planning network remains a critical part of the state’s health care system, helping bridge gaps in both access and affordability. With 9 clinics currently serving communities across the state, these providers cared for nearly 12,000 patients through more than 28,000 visits between 2022 and 2025. For many, these clinics are their only source of care: 49% of patients were uninsured, and nearly half were living at or below the federal poverty level.
In a state where distance and cost can both be barriers, affordable care is essential. About 14.6% of Wyoming women ages 19–44 are uninsured, higher than the national average. Title X clinics help meet this need by offering low- or no-cost care, while also connecting patients to referrals and additional health services when needed, ensuring more individuals can get the care they deserve.
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These clinics are also on the front lines of prevention. In recent years, they delivered more than 3,100 cervical cancer screenings and about 20,000 STI and HIV tests. Services like these support early detection and treatment, helping reduce the need for more serious and costly care down the line.
In rural states like Wyoming, once a clinic closes, it is very hard to bring it back. These clinics are more than buildings; they are part of the local health care system that keeps communities healthy.
The good news is that Title X Family Planning clinics are still open, working every day to serve their communities. The Wyoming Health Council supports this network of clinics and works to ensure that people across the state can access the care they need. Through partnerships, education, and community-based programs, the organization helps connect Wyoming residents to reproductive and sexual health services, no matter where they live.
In a state where distance, cost, and provider shortages all play a role, these clinics, and the work supporting them, are more than just a convenience. They are a lifeline.
To help sustain this work and protect access to care across Wyoming, consider making a donation to the Wyoming Health Council.
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Donation Link: givebutter.com/WYTitleX
Required Federal Funding statement: This project is supported by the Office of Populations Affairs (OPA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award 1 FPHPA 006541-0-00 totaling $978,380 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by OPA/OASH/HHS or the U.S. Government.
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CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper City Council voted Tuesday to approve on first reading a zoning change for a vacant 2.4-acre parcel located at 1530 SE Wyoming Boulevard, transitioning the property from residential to commercial use.
The ordinance reclassifies Lot 4 of the Methodist Church Addition from Residential Estate to General Business. Located between East 15th and East 18th streets, the irregular-shaped property has remained undeveloped since it was first platted in 1984.
While original plans for the subdivision envisioned a church and an associated preschool, Community Development Director Liz Becher reported those projects never materialized.
According to Becher, the applicant sought the rezoning to facilitate the potential installation of a cell tower or an off-premises sign. Under the new C-2 designation, a cell tower up to 130 feet in height is considered a permitted use by right, though any off-premises sign would still require a conditional use permit from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The applicant also owns the adjacent lot to the north, which the city rezoned to general business in 2021.
Becher said the change aligns with the “Employment Mixed Use” classification in the Generation Casper comprehensive land use plan. This designation typically supports civic, institutional and employment spaces.
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Despite the new zoning, the property remains subject to a subdivision agreement that limits traffic access. Entry and exit are restricted to right turns onto or from East 15th Street, and no access is permitted from East 18th Street.
The council will vote on two more readings of the ordinance before it is officially ratified.
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Two men were detained in Wyoming in connection with a fatal shooting at a downtown Salt Lake hotel that killed one man.
Carlos Chee, 23, and Chino Aguilar, 21, were both wanted for first-degree felony murder after the victim, identified as Christian Lee, 32, was found dead in a room at the Springhill Suites near 600 South and 300 West.
According to warrants issued for their arrest, Chee and Aguilar met with Lee and another woman at the hotel to sell marijuana. During the alleged drug deal, Aguilar allegedly shot and killed Lee after he tried to grab at his gun.
MORE | Shootings
Investigators said they found Lee dead in the room upon arrival, as well as a single shell casing on the floor and a small amount of marijuana on the television stand.
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The woman told investigators she had met Chee on a dating app and that he agreed to come to the hotel to sell her marijuana. She had been hanging out with him in the room, which Lee rented for her to use, when Lee asked them to leave. Lee was then shot and killed following a brief confrontation.
Chee and Aguilar allegedly fled the scene in a 2013 Toyota Camry with a Texas license plate that was later found outside of Rock Springs, Wyoming just a few hours later.
The two men were taken into custody and detained at the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office.
