Four Feet Below: Digging Deep to Mitigate Wildfire Risk  

Framed by the towering peaks of the Wind River and Absaroka mountain ranges, stitched together by generations of ranchers and loggers, Dubois, Wyoming, is a community that knows what’s at stake when it comes to wildfire mitigation. Like many across the West, they've seen the smoke, smelled the ash, and lived through uncertainty.  

So, when the threat of wildfires began to climb — made worse by hot summers, high winds, and forests devastated by earlier beetle infestations — Tri-State member High Plains Power didn’t wait for a disaster. They acted.   

The electric cooperative has spent the past several years planning and executing an ambitious wildfire mitigation effort in the Horse Creek area of the Wind River Ranger District.  

Stronger Forests and a Safer Grid  

The Horse Creek Project, launched in 2018 and set to wrap up in 2025, is a 15-mile power line burial initiative located deep in the Shoshone National Forest. The project replaced aging overhead lines with underground cable, significantly reducing wildfire risk in one of the most fire-sensitive zones of northwestern Wyoming.  

“We like to be ahead of things, not behind,” said High Plains Board Member and Dubois native Jeff Milton. “Some people like to manage a crisis when a crisis begins. We like to mitigate the crisis before it gets here. Again, it’s our accountability and responsibility as a cooperative, not just to our members, but to our community.”  

When Wildfire Isn’t If, But When  

In places like Dubois, the threat of wildfire is more than abstract—it’s deeply personal. The nearby Pack Trail Fire of 2024 was caused by a lightning strike and burned approximately 90,000 acres. A single strike or spark can devastate homes, grazing lands, and forests that have sustained local families for generations.  

Burying power lines is one of the most effective ways to prevent such tragedies, but there is a significant cost. That is why High Plains was so deliberate with their placement and research, choosing these 15 miles based on their high-risk assessment while not disturbing the wetlands in the Horse Creek area.   

Unlike overhead lines, buried cables are shielded from high winds, falling trees, and lightning strikes—dramatically cutting the risk of ignition. The process of burying lines is physically demanding as crews have to plow cable through rough mountain terrain and environmentally sensitive areas with care and precision—part of a close collaboration between High Plains Power and the U.S. Forest Service to ensure every step respects and protects the landscape.  

The Power of Partnership   

Behind every successful wildfire mitigation project is a network of strong partnerships built on trust, shared goals, and a deep respect for the land. In the case of the Horse Creek Project, collaboration between High Plains Power, the U.S. Forest Service, and local stakeholders has been essential from day one.   

Working in federally managed lands like the Shoshone National Forest required more than just technical expertise—it demanded coordination with agencies like the U.S. Forest Service and the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to ensure that every trench dug and power line laid aligned with environmental protections, wildlife considerations, and long-term forest health. High Plains Power brought their local knowledge and a boots-on-the-ground perspective, and their partners provided critical guidance, permitting support, and ecological insight that helped ensure this project was effective.   

It’s a three-way partnership that reflects the cooperative spirit at the heart of rural America.  

“We try to be part of the community as much as possible and being a partner with organizations like High Plains Power is really important to that,” said Evan Guzik, Public Affairs Officer for the Shoshone National Forest. “Being able to bury these power lines and reduce the wildfire risk to the community is of the utmost importance to what we try to do.”  

A Forward-Thinking State  

Wyoming has emerged as a leader in empowering electric cooperatives to meet these challenges head-on. With new legislation, House Bill 0192, the state has created a legal framework that supports co-ops' planning and funding of wildfire mitigation.  

Going forward, these laws will enable cooperatives to implement wildfire mitigation plans, access insurance, and secure necessary federal permits to upgrade infrastructure. “HB0192 is a great piece of legislation,” notes Tri-State’s Government Relations Advisor Austin Rodemaker. “It provides the cooperatives with some liability relief but does require the cooperatives to play an integral part in mitigating wildfires.”  

It's a shift in policy that not only protects co-ops from devastating financial liability but also ensures that members in rural areas stay connected to reliable, affordable power.  

Community Resilience, One Step at a Time 

For Dubois and the inholdings along Horse Creek, this project represents more than just 15 miles of line. It’s about keeping the lights on without risking the forest and making sure that local families, businesses, and first responders have the power they need when it matters most. This isn’t just a power project—it’s a protection project. One that safeguards the land, the homes, and the people who depend on reliable electricity every day.  

Wildfires are unpredictable, but resilience is never in short supply for the people who call the West home. Thanks to strong partnerships, determined leadership, and smart policy, High Plains Power is showing the nation how rural communities can fight fire with foresight.   

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About Tri-State   

Tri-State is a power supply cooperative, operating on a not-for-profit basis, serving electric distribution cooperatives and public power district member-owners in four states. Together with our members, we deliver reliable, affordable and responsible power to more than a million electricity consumers across nearly 200,000 square miles of the West. Visit www.tristate.coop.