Wyoming’s Red Canyon Fire balloons to over 91,000 acres amid evacuations, emergency order

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A major wildland fire outside Thermopolis escalated significantly over the weekend, driving further evacuation warnings and an increasing federal response as the burn stretched from Hot Springs County to its borders with Fremont and Washakie counties.

The Red Canyon Fire began Wednesday and by Monday morning covered more than 91,000 acres — an area nearly the size of Denver — as strong winds and dry grass fueled its growth. The fire remains 11 miles east of Thermopolis, and evacuation orders so far appear limited to mostly rural areas. It is burning across ridges and creek drainages dominated by grassland and brush.

WyoFile has sought an estimate