Seminoe Fire burns through bighorn sheep area

A 3,700-acre wildfire this month burned through an area of south-central Wyoming where bighorn sheep had been reintroduced. The Seminoe Fire began on July 21 and is now contained. Wyoming Game and Fish biologist Greg Hiatt says the fire burned right where the state had transplanted 52 bighorn sheep in 2009 and 2010. He guesses there's up to 80 sheep there now. Fire officials say there's no evidence any sheep were lost. Hiatt says the sheep should have been able to flee the fire. He says the main question now is whether the fire helped the sheep habitat or hurt it. Fire can help the habitat by clearing away old forage, but if the fire is too hot it can damage plant roots and inhibit regrowth.