SWEETWATER COUNTY — Fire District One responded to a fire Saturday afternoon in the vicinity of  Black Butte. SWCFD#1 Chief Jim Wamsley said that the fire was burning near the base of the landmark, and consumed around 40 acres.
On Saturday afternoon a helicopter and single engine tanker dropped fire retardant to create a retardant line to impede the spread of the fire which threatened to ignite the slope.
The fire was contained around 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Wamsley said that lighting was reported in the area around a week ago and the storms could have ignited a fire that smoldered until the conditions for a flare up presented themselves.
Wamsley said that there were no new vehicle tracks found in the area and the working assumption is that it was lighting caused.
Crews from the BLM are still on scene.
In addition to the Black Butte Fire crews Responded out to Patrick Draw for a fire at an Anadarko gas processing facility on Sunday.
No injures were associated with the fire.
Wamsley said that the fire was allowed to burn itself out while crews monitored the situation. No release of hazardous material occurred and the incident posed no risk to personnel or the environment.
