Elder Louis and Sister Debra Fico, a Casper couple serving as missionaries at Batel Ranch west of Tie Siding, had just finished preparing the church camp for another week of teenage campers when they saw lightning crack across the sky.
"We saw the flash," Louis said.
Almost instantly, smoke began rising from the forest.
The couple called 911, realizing a wildfire had likely ignited nearby.
Within minutes, the peaceful mountain retreat shifted into emergency mode.
"It's time to get out," Louis remembered thinking.
As camp leaders hurried teenagers into vehicles and drove away from the ranch, they looked back toward the mountains.
"We saw the mountain burning," he said.
The blaze, now known as the Fish Creek Fire, prompted evacuations Tuesday and sent firefighters racing into the Medicine Bow National Forest.
As of 11:30 a.m. Thursday, the Albany County Sheriff's Office reported the fire was 50% contained. Batel Ranch remained under a GO (Evacuate Now) order, while all other previously evacuated areas were in SET status, meaning residents should remain prepared to leave if conditions worsen.
'A Tinderbox'
Just across the area at Fish Creek Ranch, Bill Fuller Jr. witnessed the same unfolding emergency.
A homeowner called Fuller after hearing a loud crack.
"She said, 'I think our tree got struck by lightning,'" Fuller recalled.
The homeowner had looked toward the northwest corner of the roughly 4,600-acre ranch and noticed what he described as a small trickle of smoke.
Fuller and the ranch manager drove to investigate.
"Within minutes that tree was up in flames," he said. "By the time I got there it was obvious it was going to be big."
Fire crews were already arriving as the flames began spreading.
Fish Creek Ranch includes 13 homeowner partners and serves as a wildlife preserve. Fortunately, Fuller said, the apparent ignition point was on the ranch's northwest corner, meaning the fire would have had to cross multiple ridges before reaching homes.
Still, the danger was obvious.
"It could happen," Fuller said. "Right now it's a tinderbox. It's as dry as it's ever been."
No Time To Pack
Batel Ranch hosts spiritual retreats for young women, blending scripture study with outdoor adventure.
Campers spend their days reading scripture, participating in faith lessons, playing games and learning wilderness skills, including building shelters from natural materials gathered in the forest and weaving rope from reeds collected around a nearby pond.
About 20 girls, ages 16 and 17, most from the Denver area, were attending camp when the fire broke out. Five adult leaders were also there.
Another 80 girls were scheduled to arrive Wednesday.
They never did.
The Ficos had spent days helping prepare the camp. Cabins were ready. Activities had been organized. Everything was in place for the next group of campers.
Then the evacuation order came.
"There wasn't time to pack things up," Debra said.
Camp leaders focused solely on getting everyone safely off the mountain, leaving the camp almost exactly as it had been prepared.
Despite the urgency, every camper and leader evacuated safely, and no injuries were reported.
Fish Creek Fire in Albany County, Wyoming (Bill Fuller, Jr.) 
Fish Creek Fire in Albany County (Bill Fuller, Jr.)
Ranchers Stay To Help
While some residents left immediately, Fuller said others stayed as long as it was safe to do so.
They had horses, equipment and neighbors to look after.
"We basically told them, 'We're not leaving,'" Fuller said. "If you know ranchers, you know we're gonna stay until we can't stay."
The ranch had 23 horses on the property, and neighboring ranchers quickly began checking whether livestock needed to be moved.
Homeowners worked together to make sure families and animals were safe while firefighters battled the growing blaze.
"It's Wyoming," Fuller said. "That's how it is."
Homeowners Pulled Together
The following day, Louis and Debra returned to Batel Ranch to assess the damage.
To their relief, the camp was still standing.
No buildings had been destroyed, and they found no visible damage from flames or smoke.
For Fuller, the outcome reflected the work of firefighters and the community that rallied around them.
"Our main goal is to express our unbelievable appreciation for the men and women who came and got it out and stayed all night," he said.
Firefighters remained on scene overnight watching for flare-ups after containing the blaze.
Fuller also praised the volunteers, sheriff's deputies, emergency responders and neighboring ranchers who worked together throughout the incident.
"It was a great community," he said. "All the homeowners pulled together to make sure neighbors were safe and horses were safe. Ranchers in the area all came together to see if people needed help moving livestock."
As firefighters continue working to fully contain the Fish Creek Fire, officials are asking the public to avoid the area so emergency crews can safely continue their work.
Kolby Fedore can be reached at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com.
