Harriet Hageman Loses Family Homestead To Wildfire

An out-of-control Wyoming wildfire has destroyed the childhood home of U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo.

The 28,000 burning archers are in the Goshen County area, where the state representative grew up.

At first, it was called the Haystacks Fire and it had been contained, last Monday.

But then it reignited a day later and scorched the Haystack Range and the area north of Ft. Laramie and the town of Fort Laramie. Many residents of the town were ready to evacuate.

"That’s where we were all raised," Hageman told Cowboy State Daily. 

It was in that place that five siblings grew up in the two-bedroom home.

The place did not look like much, after all these years.

It was an old log-style home with a tin roof that, after all these years, looked more like an abandoned shack than the house it once was.

Still, it held memories for those who grew up there.

Hageman lived there until she was about 7 years old. Then her family moved to the town of Fort Laramie.

Recently I was at a store in that town and spoke to a gentleman, the owner of the store, who grew up with and went to school with her.

The fire in the area is still burning. A lot of achers have been consumed along with some homes.

This week's weather should bring some relief with lower temperatures, higher humidity, and a better chance of rain.

Temperatures could be down into the lower 70s as we get closer to the weekend with rain chances up to 60%.