The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has issued a fire ban on all Game and Fish Commission-managed lands in Albany County effective immediately.

The fire ban is due to extremely dry conditions caused by the ongoing drought in southeast Wyoming.  “A wildfire at this time would result in the complete loss of mixed mountain shrub and grassland communities on these properties that wildlife need to prepare for winter,” said Jerry Cowles, Habitat and Access Supervisor for the Laramie Region. “Carless campers have left numerous campfires unattended on these properties, resulting in dangerous situations for other recreationalist and loss of habitat for wildlife.”

The fire ban affects the following properties:

Forbes/Sheep Mountain Wildlife Habitat Management Area (WHMA), Jelm WHMA, Laramie Peak WHMA, Thorne Williams WHMA, Gelatt Lake Public Access Area (PAA), Lake Hattie PAA,  Meeboer Lake PAA,  Lower Sybille Creek PAA Twin Buttes PAA, Wheatland Reservoir #3 PAA, and Woods Landing PAA.

Fires are banned at the following Game and Fish Commission- managed lands in Albany County at all times:

Pilot Hill PAA, Alsop Lake PAA, Cow Creek Mountain PAA, Laramie River Monolith PAA, Leazenby Lake PAA, North Laramie Funkhouser PAA, Mule Creek Ranch PAA, and Sodergreen Lake PAA.

For more information contact the Laramie Regional office at (307) 745-4046. Check for fire bans on Game and Fish lands across the state.