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Fire Management
Wildland fire is inevitable in North American ecosystems. Most wildland fire must be suppressed or managed to meet resource and social objectives. Wise use of prescribed fire approximates the historical role of fire and enhances long-term wildland values. Effectively managing fuels and dealing with wildfires requires coordination between the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, other agencies, and communities.
View Forest Order and Map.
To report a wildland fire, please call the interagency dispatch centers below:
- Routt National Forest: Craig Dispatch Center, (970) 826-5037
- Medicine Bow National Forest, Thunder Basin National Grassland: Casper Dispatch, (800) 295-9952
To view national fire activity, visit Inciweb.
The Forest Service hires permanent and seasonal firefighters. Seasonal job hiring is usually done by March. Visit USAJobs and look for job series 0462, which includes most fire-related jobs across all federal agencies. Following local forest social media accounts is also a great tool for staying in the know.
Campers and other public land users need to follow basic campfire safety rules. Campfire use may be limited or prohibited at times due to dryness and other weather factors.
- Scrape back dead grass and forest materials from your campfire site.
- Keep your campfire small and under control; make it only as big as you need it.
- Keep a shovel and a water container nearby to douse escaped embers.
- Put your campfire dead out before leaving your campsite or going to sleep.
- Always follow current fire restrictions.
Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams work to assess post-fire hazards within and downstream of areas burned in wildland fires. The assessments and stabilization treatments focus on protecting human life and safety, property, and critical natural and cultural resources.
The Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland encompasses nearly three million acres from the north and eastern borders of Wyoming, south almost to the Colorado River that traverses north central Colorado. This area is divided in three fire zones: North Zone Fire, Central Zone Fire, and South Zone Fire. Use any of these links to learn more about the fire programs by zone, or learn more about the forest-wide MBRTB Fire Program.
To protect homes and improve the health of the forest, use several methods to reduce thick forest vegetation (fuels) where the forest may be subject to a destructive wildland fire. Visit the US Forest Service National website on Fire and Aviation Management for more information on:
- Prescribed Fire
- Mechanical Fuels Treatment
- Creating Wildfire Defensible Zones
- Aviation Information and Safety
For the latest fire restrictions or wildland fire news, contact your local Forest Service ranger district office, follow @FS_MBRTB on Twitter, or contact regional dispatch centers:
The region has expanded wildland fire assessment, suppression, and prevention programs to carry out the National Fire Plan. Click on the following links for more information.
