Wapiti Fire forced residents near Stanley to evacuate. Now they can return home

Stanley-area residents who evacuated their homes because of threats from the Wapiti Fire were allowed to return home Thursday after nearly two weeks.

The Custer County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday that residents in Zone 1 — a swath of homes west of Stanley that includes Iron Creek, Cabin Creek, Crooked Creek and Goat Falls — could return home.

The area was evacuated Aug. 23 as the fire saw a surge in activity and burned near Stanley Lake.

The announcement was met on Facebook with relief, celebration and words of thanks and encouragement for firefighters.

Fire officials manage evacuations with a three-tier system. Homes are divided into zones that are given a status of Ready, Set or Go. They indicate when residents should make evacuation plans, pack and prepare to leave and actually evacuate.

Upon returning home, Zone 1 residents will join Zone 2, which includes Stanley itself, in Set status. Residents should keep bags packed and be prepared to leave again if fire activity increases.

The Wapiti Fire is still an extremely active fire that is now around 110,000 acres. Crews have made progress in containing the fire’s perimeter in recent days. The fire is now 8% contained, with an estimated total containment date of Oct. 10, according to InciWeb.