Casper Seeks Grant for Wildfire Response Plan on Casper Mountain

City partners with Lark Environmental to apply for Climate Smart Communities Initiative grant to develop wildfire resilience plan.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Casper City Council has agreed to partner with Lark Environmental Inc. to apply for a grant to develop a new Wildfire Resilience and Response Readiness Plan for the Casper Mountain area. The plan would focus on city-owned lands and assets within the high-risk wildland-urban interface, including the Hogadon Basin Ski Area and various recreational facilities.

Why it matters

Casper has experienced relatively dry winters, raising concerns about the potential for wildfires on Casper Mountain. The new plan would complement an ongoing update to the Natrona County Community Wildfire Protection Plan by focusing on gaps outside the county's scope and creating a practical framework for forest management and emergency access tailored to the city's specific properties.

The details

The grant-funded plan would evaluate fire suppression water supply constraints, inventory existing water sources, and identify strategic options to improve reliability for fire response, such as new storage concepts or operational strategies. It would also establish a funding roadmap to help the city secure future state, federal and other grants for mitigation work. As a requirement of the grant, the city and Lark Environmental will need to partner with a community-based organization to ensure local stakeholders and nonprofit groups are involved in the planning process.

  • The Casper City Council agreed to the partnership at its Tuesday work session.
  • The final application for the funding is due by March 12, 2026.

The players

Casper City Council

The governing body of the city of Casper, Wyoming.

Lark Environmental Inc.

An environmental consulting firm that will take the lead on the grant application, administrative reporting, and eventual development of the Wildfire Resilience and Response Readiness Plan.

Zulima Lopez

Casper Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities Director.

Natrona County Community Wildfire Protection Plan

An ongoing update to the county's plan for wildfire protection and response.

Hogadon Basin Ski Area

A city-owned ski area located on Casper Mountain.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The initiative focuses specifically on city-owned lands and assets within the high-risk wildland-urban interface of Casper Mountain, including the Hogadon Basin Ski Area and various recreational facilities.”

— Zulima Lopez, Casper Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities Director (oilcity.news)

“By focusing on gaps outside the county's scope, Lopez said, the city intends to create a practical framework for forest management and emergency access tailored to its specific properties.”

— Zulima Lopez, Casper Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities Director (oilcity.news)

What’s next

The Casper City Council will officially vote on the partnership with Lark Environmental and the grant application at a future meeting.

The takeaway

Casper is proactively addressing the risk of wildfires on Casper Mountain by seeking grant funding to develop a comprehensive Wildfire Resilience and Response Readiness Plan. This plan will complement the county's existing efforts and focus on the city's specific assets and needs within the high-risk wildland-urban interface.