The Mullen Fire in the Medicine Bow National Forest west of Laramie has grown to 14,653 acres and remains only 2% contained as of the latest update today, September 23rd.
The fire was reported on Thursday, September 17th, and was ~25 acres when they arrived on the scene, according to Type 3 Incident Commander Jared Delay. The cause of the fire remains under investigation but is believed to have been human-caused.
Below is the update shared on the Mullen Fire Incident page today, September 23rd.
Aircraft continue to be critical to the Mullen Fire suppression effort. Yesterday, helicopters delivered more than 22,000 gallons of water that supported the work of firefighters on the ground by cooling the fire’s edge and slowing its rate of spread. Fixed wing aircraft, including CL-415 scoopers and smaller scooping aircraft – fire bosses – were also used on the east side of the fire in the Rambler area.
Fire managers have assigned personnel and other resources to focus on values at risk, such as evacuated communities of Rambler, Keystone communities, Lake Creek, the Rob Roy Reservoir area and the City of Cheyenne water supply. The Structure Protection Group is in each community, clearing brush and installing sprinkler systems to prepare structures for possible fire progression to those areas. Engines and hand crews are working on the western edge to secure the fire perimeter to prevent spread to the west onto private property.
In other areas, fire managers are scouting the terrain for opportunities where firefighters can be successful in slowing fire progression.
Additional information on evacuation areas, closures, fire weather and more can be found on the Mullen Fire Incident page by clicking here.
Updates are also shared to the Mullen Fire Information Facebook page.