Moonshine Fire Forces Evacuations

(WHEATLAND, Wyo.) — A lightning-sparked wildfire burning in the rugged Laramie Range of southeastern Wyoming has grown to 6,494 acres, though crews have pushed containment to 26% as cooler weather and reinforced control lines help slow its advance. Structure protection work in the evacuated Bookout Ranch area is nearly finished.

What’s Burning

The Moonshine Fire ignited on Monday, September 7, about 17 miles southwest of Wheatland in Albany County. The cause has been attributed to a natural, lightning-caused ignition. The fire is burning through timber with a grassy understory and brush in terrain officials describe as rugged and difficult to access, which has slowed containment efforts and limited what heavy equipment and engines can do directly on the fire line.

Rapid Growth, Then a Turn Toward Containment

The fire’s spread was swift through its first week. It grew from roughly 2,600 acres on Wednesday to about 3,500–3,900 acres by Thursday, and reached nearly 4,900 acres by Friday, expanding into neighboring Platte County. Red flag warnings — signaling conditions ripe for extreme fire behavior — were in effect for much of the week, with gusty winds and low humidity driving growth, including forecasted gusts up to 45 mph.

By the latest update, the fire had grown further to 6,494 acres, but a cold front moved through overnight, bringing cooler temperatures and lighter winds that have aided crews. Containment has climbed to 26%, with 292 personnel now assigned to the incident.

Evacuation and Impact

On Friday afternoon, Albany County Emergency Management ordered residents in the Bookout Ranch area to evacuate immediately as the fire advanced from the south. Two minor structures were confirmed lost during the fire’s initial push earlier in the week, though officials say red flag conditions and lingering heat had limited their ability to fully assess damage. No civilian injuries have been reported; some firefighters sustained minor injuries. Officials have said Wheatland itself is not currently threatened.

Across the river in the Bookout Ranch area, structure protection efforts are now nearly complete, with crews expected to finish minor remaining work soon.

Response Effort

A Wyoming Type 3 Incident Management Team took command of the response earlier in the week, coordinating personnel, helicopters, large air tankers and scoopers. In the latest operational period, the fire was most active along its northeastern edge, backing downhill toward the Laramie River; aviation support worked the area early in the day before high winds grounded aircraft. Crews then turned to tactical firing operations to anchor control lines into the river, and an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) module assisted with aerial ignition overnight to strengthen and deepen those lines.

On the south end, crews continue patrolling and securing lines from Slate Creek Road to Government Peak Road and north into Moonshine Gulch, with the goal of fully securing that section through the weekend. A temporary flight restriction remains in place over the area, and officials continue to ask the public to avoid flying drones near the fire.

Incident Commander Fred Tucker emphasized the stakes for the local community, noting that the fire has touched homes, ranches, livestock and livelihoods, and pointing to the team’s positioning and tactics as reasons for the recent progress on the fire.

Weather Outlook

A cold front brought cooler temperatures and lighter winds overnight, giving crews better conditions to build and hold lines. However, a chance of storms remains in the forecast, raising the potential for gusty, erratic winds at the fire. While meaningful rainfall is considered unlikely, storm outflow winds could still limit aerial support and stir up fire activity in the days ahead.

Officials continue to list firefighter and public safety, protecting and preserving structures and ranching land, and limiting the fire’s spread as their primary objectives. Anyone with questions can reach fire information at (307) 295-2770 or 2026.moonshine@firenet.gov.

This is a developing situation; acreage, containment, and evacuation status may change quickly.