It’s night 12 of the Elk Fire, as firefighters continue to make progress in Sheridan County, Wyoming.

The fire is now at about 77,000 acres and 16 percent contained.

“It’s a combination of the wind and the topography that is moving this fire down the front of the mountains,” said Kristie Thompson, Elk Fire public information officer.

The public had a chance to hear about the firefighting efforts at Big Horn High School on Wednesday night.

Many remain on evacuation notice and nearly 900 continue to battle the fire.

“In Big Big Horn, there is no evacuation status,” Thompson said.

Much of the concern has been near the northeast part of the fire near Parkman and Dayton, but with the fire growing, people in the southeast portion have now had to be on alert.

The incident commander emphasized human life, property, and the Big Goose water treatment facility are priorities.

“The biggest priority for the incident management team is looking at how do we minimize impacts into the Big Goose watershed and the Big Goose water treatment facility,” said Thompson. “Both of those feed water into this entire area, specifically the city of Sheridan.”

Thompson said crews will implement some strategic fire actions in Big Goose Canyon.

“To slowly take fire up the hill towards that main body of the fire at a controlled rate,” Thompson said. “So that way, it does not have the energy to quickly burn down the mountain if it ever wanted. It’s a very important resource that we want to protect.”

In Big Horn, a short distance from Sheridan, it’s fairly normal on the football field for the high school team and for the younger kids practicing football as well.

“I think they’ve kind of been monitoring air quality that was spreading really fast a few days ago,” said Tommy Stipula, whose son was practicing with his youth team. “But, it’s slowed down a lot and so we’re not as worried now.”

And that’s a sentiment for others in Big Horn.

“That fire’s got a long way to go before it starts putting things in jeopardy,” said Ivan Stalick, a Big Horn resident.

Stalick has a different thought about the air.

“I mean, air quality as you see is pretty horrible, but we all have to deal with this and let this thing work,” Stalick said.

While residents feel relatively comfortable, they also know the potential dangers and one woman is selling signs to raise money for firefighters.

“I’ve lived out here for over 20 years and I love this community and this town,” said Kitt Laidlaw, who lives in Sheridan. “And in times like this, it’s amazing how people rally together to help.

The firefighters appreciate the citizen support and crews were out protecting structures including the Big Goose water treatment plant.

“If the watershed above it burns very severely or hot, that can generate enough sediment to shut down or impact that water treatment plant,” said Chief Jon Wardner of the Big Horn Volunteer Fire Department. “ So the team is busy thinking about ways to not let that happen and obviously protecting the treatment plan itself. So that’s been a big success there.”

The Story area was moved into a set status for evacuations and citizens will be alerted and law enforcment will be ready to answer questions if necessary.

Data Skrive

Oddsmakers project a competitive game between MWC foes when the San Diego State Aztecs (2-3) visit the Wyoming Cowboys (1-4) on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. Wyoming is a 2.5-point underdogs. The over/under is set at 42.5 for the game.

Against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors in their last contest, the Aztecs won 27-24. Last time out, the Cowboys defeated the Air Force Falcons, with 31-19 being the final score.

Keep up with college football all season on FOX Sports.

San Diego State vs. Wyoming Game Information & Odds

• When: Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 3:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyoming
• TV: CBS Sports Network
• Live Box Score on FOX Sports

More College Football Predictions

• UNLV vs. Utah State Predictions

San Diego State vs. Wyoming Prediction

• Pick ATS:

  Wyoming (+2.5)
  
  

• Pick OU: Over (42.5)
  
• Prediction: Wyoming 29, San Diego State 17

Predictions are made by the Data Skrive betting model.

Learn more about the San Diego State Aztecs vs. the Wyoming Cowboys game on FOX Sports!

San Diego State vs. Wyoming Betting Insights

• Based on the spread and over/under, the implied score for the matchup is Aztecs 22, Cowboys 20.
• The Aztecs have a 56.9% chance to collect the win in this meeting per the moneyline’s implied probability. The Cowboys hold a 47.6% implied probability.
• San Diego State has covered twice in four chances against the spread this season.
• Wyoming has won just one game against the spread this year.

San Diego State vs. Wyoming: 2024 Stats Comparison

San Diego State 2024 Key Players

Wyoming 2024 Key Players

FOX Sports created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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College Football

A massive wildfire continues to ravage Wyoming’s Bighorn National Forest, growing to over 75,000 acres as of Wednesday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Initially sparked by lightning, the Elk Fire is threatening nearby communities, infrastructure and critical resources.

More than 829 firefighters and other personnel have been deployed to battle the blaze as containment efforts intensify. The fire is only 16 percent contained, leaving officials and residents on high alert as they prepare for potential evacuations.

Increased fire behavior was reported early Wednesday morning because of high winds and low humidity. At around 3 a.m. Mountain time, gusty winds intensified fire activity northwest of the Big Goose Water Treatment Plant, the U.S. Forest Service said in a post on Facebook. Firefighters working the night shift, including a dozer, a Hotshot crew and eight engines, quickly responded to the area.

“The weather today will be warmer, drier and the fire will likely be more active. Numerous aircraft are assigned to the incident and will be conducting water and retardant drops,” the post continued.

A community meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Bighorn and Story areas, where fire officials and agency representatives will provide updates on the firefighting efforts and address concerns about evacuation plans and protective measures, the U.S. Forest Service said.

Attendees will get an update on the fire and evacuations and will also have an opportunity to post questions to agency representatives and fire managers.

Firefighting crews continue to battle the fire on multiple fronts, with a focus on containment and protection of critical infrastructure. The northern side of the fire remains highly active, particularly around steep drainages producing heavy smoke near Little Bighorn Canyon.

On Tuesday, a crew conducted strategic firing operations, and aircraft dropped fire retardant along the 144 Road. Crews will continue to prepare this area on Wednesday, with more firing operations planned to protect the canyon.

Containment efforts are slowly progressing, with containment on the northeastern side of the fire increasing from 10 percent to 16 percent over the past day. Firefighters have constructed containment lines, both natural and man-made, to prevent further spread.

Firefighters face challenging conditions, as unseasonably hot and dry weather is expected to peak on Wednesday, with southwest winds gusting up to 20 mph. The dry vegetation in the area remains highly flammable, contributing to increased fire activity and smoke production, particularly on the fire’s western and southern sides.

Residents concerned about air quality are encouraged to check updates on the AirNow website (airnow.gov). The Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office downgraded evacuation status for certain areas on Tuesday.

The zone, which includes Slack Road near the Montana border and stretches southwest toward the Kerns Elk Refuge, has been moved from “Go” to “Set” evacuation status. While the situation has slightly improved, nearby residents are urged to remain vigilant and prepared for potential changes.

This wildfire, now the largest seen in Bighorn National Forest in over a century, continues to pose significant risks to the region as firefighting teams work tirelessly to contain it.

Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about wildfires? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.