Hundreds asked to evacuate as Squirrel Creek Fire triples in size

A fire near Woods Landing in southeast Wyoming has burned 7,000 acres, and hundreds of residents are being asked to evacuate.

The fire has more than tripled in size since this morning. Albany County Sheriff Dave O’Malley says fire officials tell him they’ve never seen fires spread this fast.

“The moisture level is such that it’s low enough that even green grass burns like dry grass," O'Malley said. "In some situations, the fire has moved as fast as five miles in one hour.”

Highway 230 is closed between Woods Landing and the Colorado border, and officials have been opening fences to allow livestock to move away from the fire.

The Red Cross has set up an evacuation center at the Albany County Fairgrounds in Laramie and is asking for volunteers and financial donations to support evacuees.