CHEYENNE – Federal agencies in Wyoming say they are ready to deal with the upcoming wildfire seasons, despite the 35-day federal government shutdown at the beginning of the year that delayed preparation.

During a Wednesday press briefing on Wyoming’s upcoming fire season, both the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service said their agencies had been able to fully prepare, despite losing several weeks on the job.

Mary Jo Rugwell, state director for the Bureau of Land Management in Wyoming, said when it became clear the shutdown would extend for some time, her agency began to find rollover funds to start their preparations.

Read the full article.