Wyoming May Be At Greater Risk of Wildfires This Year

May 7, 2010

Wyoming residents may want to look carefully at their homeowners insurance policies this month, especially where fire insurance coverage is concerned.

Why? Because according to national fire officials, a season of light snowfall is likely to mean greater risk of wildfires in the northwest part of the state this summer.

Officials of the National Interagency Fire Center explained that a light winter in the region means that the environment – especially fire fueling elements – are drier going into summer, which could increase the potential for wildfires. Last year, heavier-than-average moisture helped to minimize similar threats throughout the region.

Mack McFarland, a Teton Interagency Fire Fuels specialist, said that conditions can still change between now and the beginning of fire season. While fire prediction is useful, he said, there’s no such thing as a “crystal ball” for the wildfire season.