An evacuation order remains in place Monday as a wildfire burning in rugged, hard-to-access terrain in northern Campbell County near the Montana border continues to grow.
The Silver Spoon Fire has been burning grass, brush and timber near the Bitter Creek area, prompting a Sunday evacuation notice for people near Anderson Draw and within 10 miles of Bitter Creek Road.
The fire had grown to about 1,700 acres, the Cambell County Fire Department reports.
"Crews were able to make good progress yesterday," the agency says in a Monday afternoon update. It adds that management of the fire will be turned over to a fire incident management team Monday evening.
Another fire that broke out in a coal silo at the Rawhide mine north of Gillette and spread to surrounding grassland is also actively being worked by Campbell County crews, the CCFD reports. That fire is at about 110 acres and "additional fire department resources are securing the preimeter of the grass fire.
Reports from people and agencies in the area describe the Silver Spoon as threatening ranches and being driven by wind.
"As far as the cattle, they just opened gates, cut fence and prayed that the old girls knew where to go," said Savannah Graham, whose husband's family lease land in the path of the fire. "So far, they are scattered from hell to breakfast, with some crossing the flame last night to get to safety. We will know more this week about the damage and cattle recovery."
“Not sure of the acreage, but we ended up within about a quarter mile of the state line,” reports the Broadus Volunteer Fire Department out of Montana, which sent engines and personnel to help battle the fire.
It’s burning in “some pretty rough country,” the agency reports.
In a late-night Facebook post, Delcy Bayles described a harrowing scene and that the family was working to relocate its cattle. Photos accompanying her post showed the fire close to the ranch.
She also expressed gratitude for the work of local firefighters and neighbors.
“Thank you everyone for your prayers, the firefighters/ranchers who came quickly and worked quickly, and the women who pitched in to get crews fed,” she posted. “Keep praying for moisture!”
Aggressive Response
With an abundance of dry fuel and wind to grow, the Campbell County Fire Department responded quickly and in force, Deputy Chief J.R. Fox told Cowboy State Daily.
“We’re being as aggressive as we can with these fires,” said Fox, who’s also the county fire marshal. “There’s a lot of 20- to 40-acre ranchettes on the west end of Bitter Creek and several ranches to the west that are a concern.”
The Silver Spoon fire is just east of the Remington Fire, which started in northern Sheridan County on Aug. 22 and ran north into southern Montana, burning more than 196,000 acres before crews gained 81% control of it as of Monday.
It’s also burning north of two other large Campbell County wildfires that have blazed through ranchland around Gillette.
The Flat Rock Fire west of the city is 78% contained and has consumed more than 52,000 acres of grassland, while the Constitution Fire north of Gillette is 95% contained and has burned 24,500 acres as of Sunday afternoon, according to the Wyoming State Forestry Division.
Fox said his department is “throwing everything we can” at the Silver Spoon Fire.
Along with help from fire departments in southern Montana, ground and air resources also have been moved from the Constitution Fire to the south to help. That includes a pair of hotshot crews, reports Watch Duty.
A fire burns near a coal silo Sunday night, Sept. 1, 2024, at the Rawhide mine north of Gillette. (Courtesy Starla Paschell via Facebook) 
A fire burns near a coal silo Sunday night, Sept. 1, 2024, at the Rawhide mine north of Gillette. (Courtesy Starla Paschell via Facebook) 
Delcy Bayles shared photos and a report from her ranch near where the Silver Spoon Fire is burning in northeast Wyoming. (Courtesy Delcy Bayles via Facebook) 
The Broadus Volunteer Fire Department out of Montana has sent engines and personnel to help fight the Silver Spoon Fire. (Photo by Alex Schoenbeck via Broadus Volunteer Fire Department) 
Delcy Bayles shared photos and a report from her ranch near where the Silver Spoon Fire is burning in northeast Wyoming. (Courtesy Delcy Bayles via Facebook) 
Smoke rises from the Silver Spoon Fire in northern Campell County, Wyoming, near the Montana border. (Courtesy Heidi Garcia) 
Smoke rises from the Silver Spoon Fire in northern Campell County, Wyoming, near the Montana border. (Courtesy Heidi Garcia) 
Smoke rises from the Silver Spoon Fire in northern Campell County, Wyoming, near the Montana border. (Courtesy Heidi Garcia) 
A helicopter picks up water to drop on the Silver Spoon Fire in northern Campell County, Wyoming, near the Montana border. (Courtesy Heidi Garcia) 
A helicopter picks up water to drop on the Silver Spoon Fire in northern Campell County, Wyoming, near the Montana border. (Courtesy Heidi Garcia)
Other Fires
• Fox said the county is also sending fire crews south of Gillette to battle another fire reported Sunday afternoon. That fire is between Wright and Bill, but an update on that fire wasn’t immediately available.
• In western Wyoming, the Fish Creek Fire continues to burn in heavy timber in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. As of Monday, it had grown to nearly 13,000 acres, but also had made progress on completion, hitting 49%.
• The House Draw Fire in Johnson County remains at just under 175,000 acres and 94% contained as of Monday, WSFD reports.
• And the largest wildfire in the region, the Remington Fire, has burned a little more than 196,000 acres in northern Wyoming and Montana. It’s at 81% contained, according to WSFD.
Contact Greg Johnson at greg@cowboystatedaily.com
Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
