A Meeteetse rancher is suffering through smoke and endured a midweek scramble to move horses and employees, but otherwise is surviving a forest fire just fine.

Jack Turnell of the Pitchfork Ranch this week had to bring riders and horses out of Washakie wilderness area where the Little Venus fire erupted to 13,000 acres earlier this week. It is now estimated to be 27,000 acres - more than 40 square miles.

For a month or so, the fire was allowed to burn unhindered due to its remote and rugged location. That changed when the fire suddenly flared up Tuesday, leaving the wilderness area and threatening structures. Crews are now battling the blaze.

Turnell said he had to move his cattle to a more concentrated area, which is less desirable. The new area is out of the timber. His employees trailed the cattle down earlier this week when the fire erupted, but most of the cows started down on their own.

"They're not dumb," he said.

He also said the thick smoke makes it hard for people to breathe, and it may affect the cattle, too.

Firefighters were able to save one of ranch's cabins by wrapping it in foil as the fire came through, he said. Other teepee structures burned.

Notwithstanding the problems, Turnell said he understands the policy of "let it burn" in the wilderness area.

Asked if he wished firefighters had put the blaze out early, he said, "You can wish all you want, but that's not important, because the rules are rules. If you don't like the rule you need to change it, I guess. I don't particularly like 'let it burn.'"

Still, Turnell said he would hate to see roads in the wilderness area. And he said the forest is so stricken with pine beetle blight that fire will help rejuvenate the area.

Turnell said the fire will smolder for perhaps a month or more, and only rains and snows will extinguish it.