Last fall's Elk Fire in Wyoming had disastrous consequences. When the fire occurred last year, it burned several acres in the Bighorn Mountains — nearly 100,000 to be exact. However, the devastating loss of land was just the beginning of the destruction. Now, almost a year later, there are lasting consequences from the destruction left behind. Recently, Wyoming experienced a cascade of mud and a rockslide in the area that was burned down last fall due to heavy rains.
Details on Landslides
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Cowboy State Daily shared details from the terrifying rockslide that occurred near "the Crystal Springs rest area between Burgess Junction and Dayton" in Wyoming. When those fires ravaged the land last year, they significantly altered the vegetation that lived there. Additionally, wildfires can alter soil properties and affect slope stability. All of this can increase the risk of dangerous conditions, such as mudslides and rockslides.
Mudslides and rockslides are both types of landslides. The USGS describes a landslide as "the movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope." Additionally, they share that "the term 'landslide' encompasses five modes of slope movement: falls, topples, slides, spreads, and flows." These types of slides are often triggered by factors such as rainfall, snowmelt, erosion, natural disasters, or human activity on slopes that are already on the verge of movement. Something as dramatic as last fall's Elk Fire was enough to make this slope on the brink of movement.
Now we add in the heavy rains that Wyoming has been getting, and you have the perfect recipe for a disastrous landslide.
The Lasting Consequences Wyoming Is Suffering From Last Fall's Elk Fire
Due to these precarious conditions, the mudslide and rockslide that occurred damaged nearby infrastructure on the section of U.S. Highway 14 where it happened. Additionally, debris littered the road, making it hazardous for drivers. While it must have been terrifying to witness, not everyone was surprised by the events.
Laura Dalles, senior public relations specialist with the Wyoming Department of Transportation, spoke with Cowboy State Daily on the matter. She shared that their geology group, based in Cheyenne, had been monitoring the situation since last fall's Elk Fire, and they were not surprised by these landslides in the slightest. While the area of the highway has since reopened, locals in the region are not out of the woods yet.
The area remains at risk for further impacts over the next few days; therefore, everyone is encouraged to stay vigilant.
