People living along Pass Creek Road 45 mile west of Sheridan were evacuated Monday morning, as were residences west of the intersection of Amsden and Tongue Canyon Roads, in the face of a rapidly advancing wildfire.

Some outbuildings have already been lost to what’s been named the Elk Fire, which is burning a few miles northwest of Dayton, Wyoming, in northern Sheridan County. It’s exploded from 27 acres Friday to an estimated 22,000 acres by early Monday afternoon.

A complex incident management team has been called to take command of the fire, amid shifting wind that has already changed the fire’s direction once and is likely to do so again.

Hot, dry conditions boosted the fire’s activity over the weekend, but what really turned it into a fiery tiger was the wind, which picked up later in the day Saturday. That not only benched aerial firefighting assets, it also pushed the fire through a 1996 burn scar straight toward an abundant source of light, dry fuels.

Firefighters also reported difficulty getting into the area because of the terrain and downed trees.

By Monday, fire crews reported that they were focusing on protecting structures along the face of the Mountain Pass Creek, Smith Creek and Twin Creek areas, while residents west of the intersection of Tongue Canyon and Amsden roads were ordered to evacuate.

Residences east of that intersection are in “set” mode, meaning they should be ready to evacuate on a moment’s notice, as are homes in the Horse Shoe Subdivision. The town of Dayton isn’t under an evacuation order, but people there are on alert.

Several road closures in the area have been announced, including Pass Creek, Twin Creek, Smith Creek and Tongue Canyon roads, to allow firefighters to operate safely.

Those needing shelter for livestock or themselves are advised to call Sheridan County Emergency Management at 307-752-2174.

Dayton Residents Wake Up To Apocalypse

Residents of Dayton, about 3-5 miles from the fire, woke up Monday morning to what some described as an apocalyptic scene.

Billowing smoke blotted out the sky, casting it in all grey for some. Others, such as Karen Parrish Fate, could see a tiny window of stained-glass blue being rapidly overtaken with rolling smoke that appeared to be headed straight for them.

Dayton was not yet in the “set” mode at noon Monday, but its school was closed earlier in the morning out of an abundance of caution.

Some Dayton locals were also already packing up their things, just in case the wind doesn’t change direction and they need to evacuate.

Among these proactive packers was Sherry Tarver, who lives on Tongue River Road.

“We are packing up the important items now,” she told Cowboy State Daily via Facebook messenger. “But our van and truck can only hold so much.”

Tarver reported the road to the canyon closed just past her house, right where the street turns to dirt.

“The houses along the Canyon Road and Amsden are evacuated,” she said. “Please pray for our communities.”

Parkman Home Spared

Mariann Eckendorf shared photos of fire on the horizon over by Big Horn Mountain Alpacas Farm about 9 p.m. Sunday.

“Then the wind switched in the night and headed toward Dayton, which spared my place for now,” she wrote. “I’m thankful for great friends and neighbors ready to help evacuate me and my daughter’s animals out if needed. Praying for all those in its path. Thank you, firefighters.”

Likewise, Anussa D. Britton Slyngstad reported fire about 5 miles from her residence in Parkman, Wyoming, in the former Parkman School.

“The wind changed and it moved to Tongue River Rd. And Amsden Rd.,” she wrote on a Facebook post made in TR Happenings by Cowboy State Daily.

Donations of water, snacks and money to buy food for firefighters and volunteers were being accepted at Parkman Bar and Grill Monday morning.

“We are donating Parkman Food/Chicken Buckets and Snacks/water today,” a post on the Parkman Bar and Grill read.

“Thank God and generosity of our Wyoming neighbors” Jim Pilch Sr. wrote.

Renée Jean can be reached at renee@cowboystatedaily.com.

The Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers play on Sunday, Oct. 6, at Levi’s Stadium in a game on the NFL Week 5 schedule.

Which team will win the NFL Week 5 game?

Check out these NFL Week 5 picks and NFL Week 5 predictions for the game, which can be seen at 1:05 p.m. MST on FOX (stream with free trial from FUBO).

The 49ers are a 7.5-point favorite over the Cardinals in NFL Week 5 odds for the game, courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook.

San Francisco is -375 on the moneyline, while Arizona is +300.

The over/under (point total) is set at 49.5 points.

Watch Cardinals at 49ers live with FUBO (free trial)

Jeremy Cluff writes: “The 49ers are the biggest favorite of the week. Can the Cardinals shock San Francisco? Can they even keep this game close? Not the way they are playing.”

NFL power rankings Week 5: Where are the 49ers, Cardinals now?

Bookies.com: Bet the Cardinals with the points vs 49ers

Bill Speros writes: “The 49ers active roster remains in flux. But their defense will be enough to win this one at home. But a full TD cover might be too much to ask, especially given how the Cardinals can score big-yardage-play TDs with Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. Especially in garbage time.”

NFL Week 5 odds: Point spreads, moneylines, over/unders for betting on NFL games this week

The site’s formula predicts that the Cardinals will win the NFL Week 5 game against the 49ers.

NFL Week 5 schedule: Television channels, how to watch, stream games

ESPN: 49ers have a 70.5% chance to beat Cardinals on Sunday

The site gives the Cardinals a 29.2% shot at winning the NFL Week 5 game, with the remaining percentage accounting for a tie.

Super Bowl odds 2025: Who are the betting favorites now?

Dimers: 49ers 26, Cardinals 19

It writes: “After extensive simulations, our model gives the Cardinals a win probability of 23%, while the 49ers have a win probability of 77%.”

NFL MVP odds 2024-2025: Who are the betting favorites now?

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

NFL’s highest paid players in 2024: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Offensive linemen | D-linemen | Cornerbacks | Safeties | Linebackers | Edge rushers | Highest paid players: Overall | By position | By team

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

After starting the season 0-2, the Denver Broncos found a way to get back-to-back victories on the road. Against the New York Jets, it wasn’t pretty and it could have gone the other way, but the Broncos still came out with the win.

An 0-2 start would give plenty of teams reason to panic, but the Broncos are now .500 for the season and have faced three quality defenses (Tampa Bay was without several starters and isn’t among the top units). Things could get interesting as the Broncos face some teams who aren’t as strong defensively, though they will face some quality offenses.

What do we know about the Broncos after the first four games? Let’s look at each of the four aspects of this team and how they’ve measured up thus far.

Against the Jets, the Broncos offense was terrible in the first half. Bo Nix’s passes were off, likely because of the rain, and the running game wasn’t there. But the Broncos played in the second half, running the ball well, and Nix had more zip to his passes.

Again, the Broncos have faced three quality defenses in the first four weeks. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks, in particular, rank among the top defenses in the NFL. The Broncos won’t face a unit as strong as those two for at least a few weeks.

But the potential is there for the Broncos to be a solid offense, even a good offense. Nix is doing better with his decision making, the offensive line is doing well even with Mike McGlinchey’s absence and, while the Broncos lack an elite playmaker, they have the players who can get the job done.

It will be interesting to see how the Broncos do against the Las Vegas Raiders, who do not have a good defense. The Broncos need to have a good showing on offense, but if they do that in the Week 5 matchup at Mile High, there will be room for more optimism with the unit.

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don’t miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Going into the season, there were plenty of concerns about how good the Broncos defense would be. Some wondered if this unit would be the downfall of the team.

After four weeks, it’s clear this defense can get the job done and then some. For the first four weeks, the defense has been the main reason the Broncos have stayed in games and, the past two weeks, they’ve held two quality offenses to just 16 points.

Consider Baker Mayfield, who has been playing well this season, but got just one touchdown pass agains the Broncos. Or Aaron Rodgers, who threw five touchdowns in the first three weeks but didn’t get a single scoring pass against the Broncos.

Despite not having a lot of elite playmakers other than Patrick Surtain II and perhaps Zach Allen, the Broncos defense is doing a lot of the heavy lifting. The Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, who are doing well on offense despite injuries, will likely test the Broncos defense, but if they come up big, then this unit could find itself among the best in the NFL.

It wasn’t that long ago that the Broncos struggled on special teams. Sure, they had a reliable kicker but they lacked a quality punter and had a coverage unit that was mediocre at best, but often bad.

That’s changed in the past two seasons. The Broncos punt coverage unit has been great, not allowing opponents to get much in the return game. And several times, the punt coverage unit has pinned opponents inside the 5-yard line, making it tough on opposing offenses.

Wil Lutz did miss a 50-yard field goal near the end of the Jets game but he’s been a steady performer otherwise. Riley Dixon did shank one punt against the Jets but he’s been consistent when it comes to his punts.

The Broncos are also getting quality work from Marvin Mims Jr., who has done a good job with fielding punts and knowing when to attempt a return and when to call for a fair catch. While Mims has yet to return a punt for a touchdown, he’s still getting the results you want to see.

Sean Payton hasn’t necessarily done the best job with play-calling, but give him credit for this: He’s not allowing the players to let mistakes get the best of them. The players continue to get after it, no matter the situation, and that’s what you want to see.

And what more can be said about Vance Joseph? He has silenced his critics by getting the most out of the defense.

The Broncos may not have an elite pass rusher, but they have 15 sacks in four games. The secondary, thought to be a weakness going into the season, is doing a good job, and when players have exited the lineup with injuries, others have stepped up.

Let’s not forget the job done by special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica. Since he has come to the Broncos, he has worked wonders with a unit that was among the worst in the NFL. After an abysmal 2022 season, the special teams showed improvement last year and, this year, ranks among the NFL’s best.

There’s always room for improvement, of course, but the coaching staff has these players believing they can win games. That can do a lot for a team that may lack experience in some areas, but has shown it has the talent to come through.

Follow Mile High Huddle on X and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!