The latest infrared measurements last evening of the Mullen Fire in southeast Wyoming show it grew 2,975 acres Tuesday and now stands at 83,254 acres or about 130-square miles.
Incident Commander Jared Hohn says fire activity increased in the afternoon in several areas with helicopters making bucket drops on the west flank. On the east, the fire has moved into areas burned by the recent Badger Creek Fire slowing the spread.
. The number of firefighters continues to grow and now stands at 887 with 70 additional engines arriving over the past 2 days to join hand crews, earlier engines, helicopters, and aerial tankers in the battle.
A number of mandatory evacuations and pre-evacuation orders remain in effect on all sides of the fire and Hohn says they’re aggressively working to defend homes on private land within the Medicine Bow National Forest and in and near the fire footprint
Much of their work is preventative and not actually battling flames as they move wood piles, propane tanks and other flammable items away from cabins and set up sprinklers nearby.
Clear weather helped as over a dozen planes and helicopters scooped water from Rob Roy Reservoir and other lakes to dump on the fire. Keeping the fire from the reservoir is also a priority because it’s a major water source for the city of Cheyenne.
The fire began on the 17th of an as-yet undetermined cause and continues to burn in extremely rugged terrain with dense vegetation and lots of beetle-killed standing and deadfall timber.