The Fish Creek Fire began on August 16th from a lightning strike. By the end of the month, the fire was reported as having burned 11,507 acres.
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS RIW wrote it up.
The Fish Creek Fire began on August 16th from a lightning strike. By the end of the month, the fire was reported as having burned 11,507 acres. Please see September 2024 and October 2024 Storm Data for additional information, including the eventual merger with the Pack Trail Fire, which the Fish Creek Fire was grouped with in September 2024.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Riverton, WY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 16, 9:39 AM MST, 3 hours 13 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 1039 AM MDT Fri Aug 16 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Elevated to critical fire weather like today for portions of central and southern Wyoming. - A better chance of thunderstorms returns to southwestern Wyoming tomorrow afternoon. - Near to above normal temperatures are expected from Sunday through much of next week with daily chances of showers and storms. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 303 AM MDT Fri Aug 16 2024 As expected, a few showers and thunderstorms have lingered through the nighttime hours. We still have a few around 3 am, but they are becoming less numerous and weakening. These should be gone around or shortly after sunrise. All in all, this looks to be the driest day of the forecast period as ridging builds northward across the area and drier air punches in from the southwest. A weak shortwave topping the ridge may have just enough moisture for isolated storms this afternoon across the northern third of the area, but the chance is less than 1 out of 5 in any location. Any storms should end around sunset with dry weather the rest of the night. With the ridging, temperatures will climb to above normal levels again. The main concern will be elevated to critical fire weather. The nearby shortwave will create just enough wind to reach critical criteria across southern Wyoming. With humidity expected to drop under 15 percent as the atmosphere mixes out, we have upgraded the watches to Red Flag Warnings for Sweetwater County as well as the Green and Rattlesnake Mountains. We will issue some fire weather statements for surrounding areas, where either wind or humidity should not quite reach criteria. The break in the convection will be brief though as a surge of moisture moves into the west around the back side of the ridge. Precipitable waters may climb to 150 percent of normal. It will take some time though, so most of Saturday looks dry. Any convection Saturday or Saturday night would likely be confined to southwestern Wyoming and areas West of the Divide since downsloping flow should keep areas further north and east mainly dry. This will be a hot day as well, with high temperatures climbing into the 90s in many of the population centers (a relative term in Wyoming to be sure) East of the Divide. Sunday and Monday both look fairly active with a couple of shortwaves passing nearby and precipitable water values around 150 percent of normal leading to a better coverage of showers and thunderstorms. The pattern favors areas West of the Divide with the higher chance, but all areas will have a possibility. Somewhat drier air may then bring a lull for Tuesday. Beyond that, there is more spread in the models so predicting which day is wetter is very difficult. With the ridge holding through the period, we have around a 4 in 5 confidence of temperatures remaining near to above normal through the period. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 1032 AM MDT Fri Aug 16 2024 VFR conditions are expected for the entirety of the TAF period. Some gusty winds at RKS and CPR with the stronger gradient to the south for these areas. Some mid level clouds to the north with low confidence storms on station at COD and WRL between 21-23Z with initiation. TEMPO groups are carried here with the isolated nature of these storms that will completely push northeast by the next cycle run. Otherwise, light winds and clearing skies overnight and into the rest of the period with no other weather elements expected at this time. Please see the Aviation Weather Center and/or CWSU ZDV and ZLC for the latest information on smoke, icing, and turbulence forecasts. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 303 AM MDT Fri Aug 16 2024 A combination of humidity falling in the lower teens and winds gusting to 30 mph will bring critical fire weather to portions of Sweetwater, Fremont and Natrona Counties this afternoon. Elevated fire weather is possible for other portions of southern and central Wyoming. Elsewhere, wind should remain light to moderate. Isolated thunderstorms will remain possible across northern Wyoming. Mixing and smoke dispersal will be generally good to excellent in the afternoon. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Red Flag Warning until 8 PM MDT this evening for WYZ279-289. && DISCUSSION...Hattings AVIATION...Lowe FIRE WEATHER...Hattings
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 301 AM MDT Fri Aug 16 2024 WYZ001>020-022>030-171300- Yellowstone National Park-Absaroka Mountains-Cody Foothills- North Bighorn Basin-Southwest Bighorn Basin-Southeast Bighorn Basin- Owl Creek and Bridger Mountains-Bighorn Mountains West- Bighorn Mountains Southeast-Northeast Johnson County- Southeast Johnson County-Teton and Gros Ventre Mountains- Jackson Hole-Wind River Mountains West-Wind River Mountains East- Upper Wind River Basin-Wind River Basin-Lander Foothills- Green Mountains and Rattlesnake Range- Natrona County Lower Elevations-Casper Mountain-Star Valley- Salt River and Wyoming Ranges-Upper Green River Basin Foothills- Upper Green River Basin-South Lincoln County- Rock Springs and Green River-Flaming Gorge-East Sweetwater County- 301 AM MDT Fri Aug 16 2024 ...Red Flag Warning for Sweetwater and portions of Natrona and Fremont Counties this afternoon... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Elevated to critical fire weather this afternoon for portions of central and southern Wyoming. Isolated thunderstorms in northern Wyoming this afternoon. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday... Saturday...Late day thunderstorms possible in southwestern Wyoming. Sunday through Tuesday...A chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms each day. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, August 2024
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1205977.