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Viral post misleads about Wyoming fires, rare earth minerals | Fact check

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12 months ago

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Viral post misleads about Wyoming fires, rare earth minerals | Fact check


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The claim: All ‘major’ Wyoming wildfires are burning on ‘privately owned’ land near site of rare earth metal discovery

An Oct. 8 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows what appears to be a group of elk running through a burning field.

“WYOMING. Multiple wildfires are ongoing near Wheatland, where it’s reported that there is approximately 2.34 billion metric tons of rare earth minerals,” reads on-screen text in the clip, which includes a screenshot of a post on X, formerly Twitter.

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The Instagram post also shows a video of a man speaking to the camera about the fires, saying at one point that “these major fires are all in the privately-owned sectors” of the state.

It echoes claims spread widely by former CBS News reporter Lara Logan and other users on X who suggest the fires are part of a land grab.

The Instagram post received more than 10,000 times in six days.

More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page

Our rating: False

The post is wrong on multiple fronts. The major wildfires in Wyoming are burning national forests, not private land, and they are hundreds of miles from the spot where the minerals were found.

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No evidence to support land-grab conspiracy theory

Firefighters in Wyoming have been battling two massive blazes that, as of Oct. 14, have combined to burn more than 160,000 acres. The Pack River Fire, which broke out Sept. 15 with a lightning strike and then merged with another blaze, has burned in excess of 75,000 acres. Another lightning strike 12 days later started the Elk Fire, which has burned more than 85,000 acres.

Fact check: Image doesn’t show Smokehouse Creek fire, it’s an illustration from 2017

Taken together, several elements of the Instagram post promote a baseless conspiracy theory that links the fires to the February discovery of more than 2 billion metric tons of rare earth minerals in the state and suggests they are part of a land grab orchestrated by the government. But there is no credible evidence to support that claim, and a closer look at the details unravels the alleged conspiracy.

While the post does not identify the wildfires by name, it makes clear references to the Elk and Pack Trail fires. The U.S. Forest Service on Oct. 14 listed seven fires in Wyoming on its InciWeb website, and those were the only ones that both involve more than 1,000 acres and were not at least 90% contained.

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“For active fires, those are the two big ones,” said Tucker Furniss, an assistant professor at the University of Wyoming and leader of the school’s fire and landscape ecology lab.

Post mischaracterizes locations of fires

The post misleads with its assertion that the fires are “near” both Wheatland, Wyoming, and the lode of minerals found in that area.

The city and the discovery site are both in the state’s southeastern corner. But the Elk Fire is more than 200 miles north-northwest of the lode near the northern border with Montana. Kristie Thompson, the forest service’s public information officer for the Elk Fire, characterized that blaze as “not near” the mining site in a conversation with USA TODAY. The Pack Trail Fire is even farther away, in western Wyoming more than 250 miles northwest of where the minerals were found.

The Instagram post also includes a TikTok video claiming, among other things, that “these major fires are all in the privately owned sectors” of the state. That’s not true. The Elk Fire is burning in Bighorn National Forest, while the Pack Trail Fire is in both the Bridger-Teton and Shoshone national forests.

The TikTok video goes on to claim the “worst of the fires” were burning in the state’s southeast corner. But that’s also false. Two of the seven fires listed on InciWeb were in the southeastern quadrant, the site of the mineral lode. But as of the date of the post, both had been 100% contained for weeks or months.

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The TikTok begins with a declaration that “Wyoming’s on fire” and a separate map in the background that appears to indicate dozens of fires across the state. However, a closer look at the map – published by a nonprofit group called the Fire, Weather and Avalanche Center – shows the vast majority of those are classified as “small” at 1,000 acres or fewer and have been contained, as indicated by icons of gray flames. Only one fire in the state’s southeastern quadrant was considered large: a 1,400-acre brush fire 20 miles north-northeast of Laramie, Wyoming, and emergency officials said on Sept. 21 that it, too, had been fully contained.

Other claims in the post also don’t add up. The man in the TikTok says the fires “just so happened to get hit by lightning,” But there is no credible evidence to counter the forest service’s conclusion that lightning caused both. And that’s not an anomaly. Lightning strikes are “a common source of ignition,” Furniss said.

“We know basically every lightning strike, when and where it occurs,” he said. “When there’s a lightning strike and then a fire starts right there, that’s a pretty surefire way to know exactly what caused it.”

Even the clip of elk running near flames in the X post is misleading. It has nothing to do with Wyoming, was taken from a video shared by ABC in 2021 and shows a fire in Montana’s Big Horn County.

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USA TODAY reached out to the Instagram and X user who shared the post but did not immediately receive a response. The TikTok user did not address the claim in a response to USA TODAY.

Our fact-check sources:

  • Tucker Furniss, Oct. 11, Phone interview with USA TODAY
  • Kristie Thompson, Oct. 10, Phone interview with USA TODAY
  • U.S. Forest Service, accessed Oct. 11, Incident Table (Wyoming)
  • Forest Service, accessed Oct. 11, Elk Fire 2024
  • Forest Service, accessed Oct. 11, Pack Trail Fire
  • Forest Service, accessed Oct. 11, La Bonte Fire
  • Forest Service, accessed Oct. 11, Pleasant Valley Fire
  • Forest Service, Sept. 29, Daily Update Fish Creek and Pack Trail Fires
  • American Rare Earths, February 2024, Technical Report of Exploration and Updated Resource Estimates of the Halleck Creek Rare Earths Project
  • Google Maps, accessed Oct. 11, Wheatland, Wyoming
  • Google Maps (archive), Oct. 11, 101124 Map from Halleck Creek to Elk Fire
  • Google Maps (archive), Oct. 11, 101124 Map From Halleck Creek to Pack Trail Fire
  • Fire, Weather and Avalanche Center, accessed Oct. 11, Fire Map
  • Albany County, WY Emergency Management, Sept. 21, Facebook post
  • U.S. Forest Service – Bighorn National Forest, Oct. 7, Facebook post
  • ABC, Aug. 2, 2021, X post

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here.

USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta.





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Wyoming

Colorado State, Wyoming add two games to Border War football series

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2 days ago

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September 24, 2025

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Colorado State, Wyoming add two games to Border War football series


The Colorado State Rams and Wyoming Cowboys have added two games to their Border War football series, both schools announced Wednesday.

Colorado State is leaving the Mountain West Conference after the 2025 season and will join the Pac-12 Conference beginning in the fall of 2026. As a result, their annual Border War game will have to be played as a non-conference contest.

Back in November, the two schools announced an agreement that included games beginning in 2028 and extending through the 2035 season. Today’s announcement includes the addition of a game on Sept. 5, 2026 at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins, Colo., and on Sept. 6, 2036 at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyo.

“Rivalry games are important to us at Colorado State and are a part of what makes College Football so special,” said Colorado State Director of Athletics, John Weber. “Our scheduling goal for our football program is to host seven games every season on campus in Canvas Stadium. Ram Country and Canvas Chaos make a real difference on game day and there is no better place to play than at home on campus in Fort Collins.”

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The two schools are scheduled to play this season on Saturday, Oct. 25 in Laramie.

“Having one of the oldest rivalries in the West that features one of the most iconic trophies in college football continue consecutively is outstanding,” added Weber. “The Boot Run with the game ball, the Border Ceremony, and the Bronze Boot Trophy all honor the values and rich ROTC history of both universities and will remain integral to this rivalry for years to come. This game is important to our universities, communities, and fans and I am thrilled that we were able to continue it in 2026.”

Although Colorado State and Wyoming are not scheduled to meet in 2027, there is still the possibility for that contest. When the series was announced last year, both schools stated they were “…working on amendments to schedules for the 2026 and 2027 season for potential additions to the current agreement.”

Colorado State and Wyoming first met on the gridiron in 1899 and have played a total of 116 contests. The Rams currently lead the overall series 60-51-5.

In order to schedule the 2026 game with Colorado State, Wyoming has rescheduled its previously slated home contest against North Texas for Sept. 9, 2034. Colorado State was previously scheduled to play at Indiana on Sept. 5, 2026, but Indiana will now host North Texas on that date instead.

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Future Border War Games

Sept. 5, 2026 at CSU
Sept. 23, 2028 at CSU
Sept. 22, 2029 at WYO
Sept. 7, 2030 at CSU
Sept. 20, 2031 at WYO
Sept. 25, 2032 at CSU
Sept. 24, 2033 at WYO
Sept. 23, 2034 at CSU
Sept. 22, 2035 at WYO
Sept. 6, 2036 at WYO

Football Schedules

Future Colorado State Football Schedules

Future Wyoming Football Schedules

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Wyoming

Wyoming men's basketball practice is underway in Laramie

Published

3 days ago

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September 23, 2025

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Wyoming men's basketball practice is underway in Laramie


(Laramie, WY) – The Wyoming Cowboy basketball team officially opened the season on Monday with the first official practice of the 2025-26 season. The Pokes hit the floor in the Arena-Auditoriums for a two-hour practice. “It has been a long summer and fall,” UW head coach Sundance Wicks said. “I think our guys are kind of ready to […]



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Wyoming

Takeaways From Utah’s Gritty Win Over Wyoming

Published

2 weeks ago

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September 14, 2025

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Takeaways From Utah’s Gritty Win Over Wyoming


Laramie, WY—Saturday’s 31-6 win at Wyoming highlighted both the flaws Utah must clean up and the strengths it can lean on moving forward.

For one half, Utah looked like a team searching for answers, undone by penalties and missed opportunities. For the other, the Utes looked like the Big 12 contender they aim to be, dominating both sides of the ball and controlling the line of scrimmage.

Utah’s win in Laramie wasn’t always pretty, but it was decisive. After a sloppy, penalty-filled first half, the Utes hit the gas in the second, burying Wyoming with physical defense and a run game that finally found its groove.

Utah’s First Half vs. Second Half

This was a fascinating game that seemed to provide two distinctly different halves of football. However, the only real difference was that Utah simply finished drives better in the second half. Here’s a rundown of how similar the two halves were:

In one half, Utah gained 267 yards, and in the other, they gained 274 yards.

In one half, Utah gained 155 rushing yards, and in the other, 156 rushing yards.

In one half, Utah threw for 112 yards, and in the other, 118 passing yards.

In one half, Utah averaged 6.7 yards per play, and in the other, they averaged 7.1 per play.

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In one half, Utah was penalized six times for 63 yards, and in the other, four times for 35.

That’s how similar the two halves of football were from a production standpoint. The issue was the most important stat of any game: points. Utah only finished with 3 first-half points, and in the second half, scored 28.

The first half was sloppy and undisciplined, marred by untimely penalties that stalled drives and left points on the field. In the second half, though penalty issues remained, Utah was determined to convert all scoring opportunities with touchdowns.

The defense was tough throughout most of the game. Wyoming did have a couple of extended drives, but only one ended in points. The secondary looked better, but there are still some things to address.

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In general, Utah clearly needs to clean up its play. The penalties simply cannot continue at this same rate. It cost them points in the first half, and against better competition in the future, that will hurt them.

Questions still linger around Utah’s passing game

Through three games, Utah’s passing attack is a mixed bag. Devon Dampier is completing passes at a very high clip, 73% to be exact. However, the yards per attempt still sits right at 7.0 yards, which would be in the bottom half of the country.

The passing game has been a heavy dose of short throws, which has created enough production to preserve Utah’s offensive balance. Until the Utes generate explosive plays downfield, the passing game will remain the biggest question mark heading into Big 12 play.

Still, with emerging weapons like Ryan Davis and Dallen Bentley, there seem to be enough sureties to build with. The passing game is going to have to evolve, and that starts with Beck and Dampier, not the receivers.

Dallen Bentley’s emergence

The tight end position has been a hallmark of Utah’s offense in recent years. After the change in coordinator, many believed the tight end spot would fall by the wayside. However, Dallen Bentley had other plans.

Against Wyoming, Bentley hauled in 4-of-7 targets for 46 yards. That included the game-defining 3rd and 21 conversion, where he hauled in a pass down the sideline and trucked a defender to gain the final yard he needed to get the 1st down.

His involvement in the passing game is a promising sign. The 6-foot-5, 259-pounder is now up to 11 receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns, and seems to be emerging as a go-to target for Dampier.

Whittingham credited Bentley for the work he put in this offseason. Bentley gives Utah a reliable target in critical moments and reinforces the importance of the position at Utah.

Also, tight end Hunter Andrews quietly put together 106 total yards- 44 receiving, 62 rushing, and one touchdown on 11 total touches.

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Run game explosiveness

Utah as a whole ran for 311 yards, which included two ball carriers eclipsing the 80-yard threshold, and two others running for at least 60 yards.

Dampier led the team with 86 yards on 13 carries, while Wayshawn Parker got to 80 yards on 10 carries. Hunter Andrews ran for 62 yards on six carries, and NaQuari Rogers totaled 60 yards on 13 carries.

A complement to the offensive line is the lack of negative run plays. Out of 45 total runs, Utah only had four run plays that gained 0 yards, and just two that went for a loss.

This is remarkable run game production and player involvement. Perhaps the biggest positive was the explosiveness Utah displayed in the run game.

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Against a competitive, tough, and well-coached defense, the Utes finished with 12 big run plays (gains of at least 10 yards) that generated 193 rushing yards, both being season highs.

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

Take us with you, wherever you go.

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