GOSHEN COUNTY – The Goshen County Commissioners voted on Nov. 4 to lift the months-long fire ban at the recommendation of Goshen County Fire Warden Bill Law.
After a season that brought about nearby wildfires, including the Mullen fire near Laramie and the Cameron Peak fire in Colorado that utilized Goshen County crews and equipment, Law told the commissioners several state and federal agencies are lifting their own bans.
Law said even though the ban is lifted, there is still potential for fires on public and private lands.
“While the Board of Commissioners and the Fire Warden approved lifting the Fire Ban, their action doesn’t mean the fire danger is gone. Conditions still tend to be dry,” Law wrote in a press release following the vote. “All residents, landowners and outdoorsmen need to apply common sense and practice fire safety with campfires and other outdoor burning. Also avoid driving and parking in tall grass and weeds.”
Law said county units have almost all returned from these regional fires and they will be reimbursed soon.
“It hasn’t been a totally quiet year, but we’ve had some ability for our fire departments to be involved and some of our equipment was utilized, and it is excellent training,” Law said.
Commissioner Cody Cox, who has been fighting these fires with the Yoder Volunteer Fire Department, agreed.
Shelly Kirchhefer, Goshen County Emergency Management coordinator, told the commissioners her office purchased more personal protective equipment (PPE) for Banner Community Hospital in Torrington and the county’s long term care facilities to reduce the transmission of the coronavirus.
As of press time Monday, two Goshen County residents are hospitalized with COVID-19 and the county has had six COVID-19 related deaths, three of which were residents of Goshen Healthcare Community, a long term care facility. Countywide, there are 147 active cases, according to the Wyoming Department of Health.
In other business, Mandy Marney, newly appointed associate director of the University of Wyoming Extension, visited with the commissioners after joining the office in February.
Chairman John Ellis asked about whether the extension office will see part of the budget cuts hitting departments statewide.
Marney said the university is looking at a 10% cut, which has so far been “mitigated at the extension level.”
“We think that a lot of that will be absorbed at the college level versus extension, that’s the hope,” she said. “We haven’t seen those final numbers yet.”
“We are working on some restructuring within our own organization, and looking at more county based programming, moving some area educators to county-based or county-focused,” Marney added.
The commissioners also approved a plat for Dan and Judy Hill’s property.
The GCC will meet next on Nov. 17 at 9 a.m.
