Crews Make Progress Fighting La Bonte Canyon Fire
Firefighting crews made good progress Monday in containing the La Bonte fire that started last weekend in northeast Albany County.
The fire is now 40 percent contained and it did not grow in size, Medicine Bow National Forest spokesman Aaron Voos said in a news release late Monday.
More than 200 personnel have been building containment lines and looking for hot spots in the 516 acres where the fire has been, Voos said.
Progress has been slow in the coniferous forest because of rough, rocky terrain, especially in the northeast corner of the fire. Fire activity on Monday was minimal, mainly creeping and smoldering.
But firefighters have made enough progress that fire command staff will begin releasing some resources to other fires as early as this morning, Voos said.
The state of Wyoming, local agencies, and the U.S. Forest Service have all committed resources to the fire.
Thursday, the Forest Service evacuated the Curtis Gulch Campground, which is one mile west of the fire. The Forest Service also has closed the La Bonte Canyon Road -- known as Forest Road 658 -- and other area roads and trails.
The cause of the fire is unknown and remains under investigation.