US14 is now open and the fire has now grown to 13,670 acres and is listed as 25% contained.

According to InciWeb:

Planned Actions: Type II incident management team assumed management of the fire at 8:00pm Thursday. Crews continue to work on the fire. Additional firefighting resources have also been ordered. Work will be accomplished during daylight hours for firefighter safety due to the rugged terrain.

Remarks: Travel on Hwy 14 with caution. There are heavy firefighter traffic and debris in the road. Wyoming Department of Transportation is repairing the guardrail along the highway with traffic control in place for the safety of the traveling public and the contractors doing the work.

InciWeb is reporting that the fire has calmed down considerably with the lower temperatures and higher humidity and that US14 is closed from Granite Pass to the mouth of Shell Canyon.

At this time, US Highway 14 is closed from Granite Pass to the mouth of Shell Canyon, about 5 miles east of Shell, WY. Medicine Wheel/Paintrock District Ranger Dave Sisk said, “It remains our priority to work with the Sheriff’s Office and Wyoming Highway Patrol in opening US 14 just as soon as it is safe for the public and firefighters.”

The weather last evening and early this morning cause a setback for firefighting efforts on the Bone Creek fire. The total involved acreage is now estimated at 12,000, and containment has gone from 60% down to 15%.

According to InciWeb:

Fire Behavior: The Bone Creek Fire jumped US Highway 14 in Shell Canyon between Post Creek Picnic Ground and a point 1 mile west of the Shell Falls Visitor Center in the early morning hours of September 5.

Significant Events: A strong cold front passed through the area Tuesday night which resulted in a wind shift that pushed the fire across Shell Creek and Highway 14.

Remarks: A Type II incident management team, a supervisory overhead group, has been ordered to help manage the fire. Additional firefighting resources have also been ordered.

Hopefully the cooler weather over the next few days will slow things down again.

[Edit: Highway 14 is closed between Burgess Junction and Shell, WY]

[PM Edit: I just checked back in with InciWeb and perhaps the 4,110 acre number this morning was incorrect, or had not been updated. The acreage involved is now listed at 8,052, but still at 60% contained.]

I just checked in and InciWeb has the following update:

Summary: The Bone Creek Fire continues to grow to the south and west and is burning in Shell Canyon below Copman’s Tomb. The fire is being fueled by warm, dry weather; steep canyon topography; and large amounts of dead timber. As of 8:00 am Tuesday morning, an overhead supervisory group, two engines, a 20 person handcrew and a helicopter are assigned to the incident.

Planned Actions: The Bone Creek fire has been under a suppression strategy since it started. The north and east perimeters of the fire have seen extensive suppression work including helicopter bucket drops and line construction. The lines were strengthened by firefighters burning out the unburned fuels between the main fire and the Hunt Mountain Road. Less suppression activity has taken place in the deep canyons on the southwest corner of the fire. The heavy fuels, combined with steep inaccessible topograhphy are unsafe for hand crews.

Projected Movement: On warm dry days, people should anticipate seeing sometimes significant amounts of smoke and fire activity until there is a significant snowfall. When temperatures rise and relative humidities drop to conducive levels, the fire will continue to burn.

It is still listed at 4,110 acres and 60% contained.