WORLAND - Firefighters have begun demobilizing after fighting the Billy Creek Fire, a fire which was ignited by a Sunday, Aug. 9 lightning strike on the Nature Conservancy's Ten Sleep Preserve southeast of Ten Sleep.

According to a press release issued by Worland Fire Protection District No. 1, upon arrival, crews were unable to gain access with engines to suppress the fire.

Due to the lack of vehicular access, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft were utilized to slow the fire's growth and make it safer for crews to approach the fire.

Firefighters from the Worland Bureau of Land Management Office, Ten Sleep Fire, Worland Fire Department and Colorado State Helitack formed a 20-person helitack crew and hiked down to the fire.

Firefighters faced a 1,000 ft. elevation change and a one-hour walk when they approached the fire. The top of the fire to the bottom of the fire was an additional 300-foot change in elevation, according to the press release.

On Monday morning, two hand crews, the Wyoming Hot Shots and Cheyenne River, arrived and began working to assist firefighters already on the scene.

While the fire was kept to between 13 and 14 acres in size, "this does not take into consideration the vertical or near vertical slopes of the extreme terrain. They (firefighters) have made great progress," according to the release.

Suppression efforts and quick response would not have been possible if neighbors were not willing to help neighbors with access, water availability and landing areas, according to the release.