SHERIDAN — When a fire break out on the vast acres of eastern Sheridan County, multiple groups collaborate to extinguish the blaze. Without collaboration, Clearmont Volunteer Fire Department may have experienced a different outcome with recent fires.
Communication starts with the person who first spots a fire, making a call to Sheridan County dispatch, which then calls the personal phone of Clearmont Volunteer Fire Chief Chris Thomas. She then makes calls to deploy the volunteers closest to the fire.
Once the team is deployed, the fire’s activity dictates what happens next.
During the course of a fire, surrounding volunteer fire departments often respond to help. In 2017, two fires — Cottonwood One and Brush Flat — scorched just less than 50,000 acres in Wyoming and another 45,800 acres in Montana.
This year, Clearmont was hit again with a large blaze, the Waddle Creek Fire in August 2020 that burned 25,600 acres. Crews from throughout Sheridan County, surrounding counties and Montana firefighters all collaborated to help extinguish the fire.
Thomas has about 20 local volunteers she can call at any moment to fight a fire and have them respond. Some complete official training, while others have been fighting fires with generations before them and volunteer with experience in the field. An academy in Buffalo trains multiple groups for regional fire dangers.
The acreage included in the Clearmont Fire District spans two-thirds of Sheridan County’s total area. The district has fire halls in Wyarno, Ucross, Clearmont and Arvada and trucks scattered throughout the area so volunteers may quickly respond.
Sheridan County Fire Warden Chris Thomas — who shares a name with the chief — learns from Clearmont's fire chief about each fire and, depending on the crews at hand, size and intensity of the blaze, will take on a public information officer role and remain in contact with local officials, other fire departments, media and community members. During the Waddle Creek Fire, the fire warden posted frequent updates on the Sheridan County government website.
In addition, both Thomases receive phone calls from community members trying to find a way to help. Groups like Neighbors Helping Neighbors and independent locals seek to lend a hand in some way, but usually firefighters only need small items like water and meals. The Clearmont chief said she contacts local restaurants to coordinate meals for her team, and those wishing to help in that way can contact restaurants to contribute.
The biggest help, though, is volunteering and training to become part of a local volunteer fire department.
“If folks can volunteer with their volunteer fire departments, I know they’re always looking for good folks,” Fire Warden Thomas said. “It’s not something that you just show up for a weekend. This is a commitment.”
If you do not have time to commit to joining a volunteer department, though, Thomas asked community members to stay away from the fire.
“They just need to stay safe and stay alert about what’s going on around them,” Thomas said. “You never know with a wildland fire where it’s going to go or how fast it’s going to get there.”
Fire Warden Thomas said he was amazed and grateful for the continued help and collaboration among volunteer groups.
“In a world where everything seems so divided, that’s one thing that’s just...we want it out, everyone else wants it out, and we’re going to do it and we’re working toward that same goal,” he said.
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October 06, 2020 at 10:00PM
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Collaboration in Clearmont: Volunteers, neighbors all help fight fires - The Sheridan Press
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