The very recent Mullen Fire was one of the largest wildfires in both Wyoming and Colorado history. This wildfire lasted for months before being 97% contained. It took place largely in the Medicine Bow Mountain Range and the encompassing Medicine Bow National Forest. This mountain range extends from southeastern Wyoming into northeastern Colorado.
Area covered by the Mullen Fire as of October 6, 2020 (left). Soil burn severity in the Mullen Fire area as of October 13, 2020 (right).
Cheyenne Skies Turn Orange With Smoke as Mullen Fire Burns in Wyoming Forest
- The Mullen Fire started on September 17th, 2020 and lasted until January 2021.
- The wildfire burned a total of 176,878 acres in southeast Wyoming.
- This led to the destruction of 32 homes and 34 additional structures.
- Within the area burned, it was estimated by the Burned Area Emergency Response team that it will take three to five years before sufficient ground cover will exist to prevent runoff and allow water to infiltrate into the soil.
- This runoff has the potential to cause landslides which may block trails and roads.
- As demonstrated in the video, the smoke from this wildfire was so thick in the atmosphere that residents in a town greater than 80 miles from the fire could hardly see the sun.
It is unknown how the Mullen Fire started but there are several reasons that wildfires may occur. A large number of wildfires are started by human activities such as leaving campfires unattended. But, there are some wildfires that are caused by natural forces such as lightning. However, there are certain conditions which may make wildfires more likely to start or increase in severity.
Wind is one of the largest factors affecting how fast and how far a wildfire spreads. High wind speeds like what is shown in the Medicine Bow Mountain Range area in the maps above have a large impact on the effects and danger of the fire. Wind fuels a fire by increasing the supply of oxygen and carries the fire further in the wind's direction.
Global atmospheric circulation diagram
Dryness is also a large factor impacting wildfires. Wildfires typically occur in dry regions. The Medicine Bow Mountain Range, being located around 40 degrees North, is located in a fairly dry climate. This is largely due to atmospheric circulation which creates extremely dry regions around 30 degrees North and South.
Overall, the Mullen Fire was a devastating, long lasting wildfire that severly impacted the Medicine Bow Mountain Range as well as the surrounding areas due to soil destruction, smoke, destruction of property, and several other consequences.
The Mullen Fire is only one example of a large, growing number of severe and widespread wildfires in the Medicine Bow Mountain region as well as throughout the Western United States. Current climate change is having a large impact on this situation. Climate change leads to dry areas getting drier. This only facilitates the ability of wildfires to spread and worsen.
