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Fishhawk Fire meeting held in Wapiti | Regional News

Cody - More than a hundred people came to find out what is happening on the 4000 acre Fishhawk Fire near Yellowstone. Shoshone National Forest managers told the crowd about their plans for fighting the fire, and protecting people and area homes and businesses.

The Fishhawk fire is located about four miles south of Highway 14/16/20, and 12 miles east of Yellowstone. Smoke from the blaze was visible in Cody Tuesday. It had grown to 4000 thousand acres since it was discovered in the Washakie Wilderness Labor Day.

Wapiti District Ranger Susan Stresser told the large crowd in Wapiti Tuesday night that human safety is their number one priority. Spokesmen also revealed the blaze had grown toward the highway, and toward the Blackwater Lodge. However, they pointed out the blaze stopped behind a large ridge.

Stresser explained their first concern was protecting hunters who were in the backcountry for opening rifle season on elk, and big horn sheep.

Stresser said, “Our concern is those people are out there. we don’t know where they are because these are not designated hunting camps. Fortunately though, for spike camps for the outfitters, they call our office and they reserve a spike camp, and so we were able to get some information and find out who they were, and whether they had sat phones, or Garmin devices where we could track them and text them in reach.”

Stresser said firefighting helicopters and teams are in the area, and firefighting teams are moving in. They expect high winds to grow the fire Wednesday, but hope rain over the weekend will help tamp it down.