Wyoming Authorities Lift Evacuation Order Near F.E. Warren Air Force Base After Suspicious Package Report
Why It Matters
F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming is no ordinary military installation. Home to the 90th Missile Wing and the nation’s first operational Intercontinental Ballistic Missile base, the facility maintains ICBM systems on full alert around the clock, every day of the year. Any security incident near the base carries heightened significance for both local residents and national defense readiness.
Thursday’s evacuation order affecting Cheyenne neighborhoods, a freeway exit, and even the Wyoming State Capitol underscored how seriously law enforcement and base security treated the initial report.
What Happened
Authorities lifted an evacuation order near F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne late Thursday morning, approximately two hours after the initial order was issued, according to the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office. The incident began around 9:30 a.m. when a suspicious package was reported near the base’s Gate 1 visitor control center.
The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office directed residents on the east side of the base — up to McComb Avenue, Country Club Avenue, and down to Cosgriff Court — to temporarily evacuate. Authorities also closed Exit 11 from I-25 southbound due to police activity, and some individuals in nearby buildings were ordered to shelter in place.
A 1,850-foot cordon was established around Gate 1. Response personnel remained on scene near Gate 1 as a precaution while the investigation continued, and the gate remained closed with base personnel directing traffic to Gate 5.
F.E. Warren Air Force Base’s official social media statement confirmed “no active threat to the installation at this time.”
The Wyoming State Capitol was also evacuated Thursday morning, according to Gov. Mark Gordon’s spokesperson. Laramie County School District 1 confirmed that none of its schools were evacuating, acting on the recommendation of law enforcement.
In Their Words
Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins told WyoFile at 9:47 a.m. that a package had been left near the visitor center and that base security was working to identify what it contained. “I did speak with people on the base, and they have the situation under control,” Collins said, adding that he did not have further details about the ongoing evacuation at that time.
The Laramie County Combined Communications Center urged residents not to panic, describing the evacuation as a “safety precaution,” and asked the public to refrain from calling 911 for additional information given the limited details available at the time.
By the Numbers
- 9:30 a.m. — Approximate time the initial evacuation order was issued
- ~2 hours — Duration of the evacuation before authorities lifted the order
- 1,850 feet — Size of the cordon established around Gate 1
- 3 — Number of automated alert messages sent to residents within roughly 30 minutes, including one correction after contradictory initial guidance
- 1958 — Year F.E. Warren became the nation’s first operational ICBM base
Zoom Out
The incident highlights the ongoing security challenges facing military installations in the Mountain West, where bases like F.E. Warren serve as critical pillars of America’s nuclear deterrence posture. The base’s strategic importance makes security coordination between local law enforcement and military personnel essential.
Wyoming has been navigating a broader range of defense and energy conversations in recent months. Wyoming communities have been weighing the expansion of nuclear energy as federal momentum builds behind the industry — a discussion that intersects with the state’s long history hosting nuclear weapons infrastructure.
The contradictory alerts sent Thursday also raise questions about emergency communication protocols in Laramie County, as residents received multiple automated messages within minutes offering different geographic evacuation boundaries before a correction was issued.
What’s Next
The investigation into the suspicious package was ongoing as of Thursday, with response personnel remaining near Gate 1. The cordon around the visitor control center was still in place, and Gate 1 remained closed with instructions to use Gate 5 for access.
No timeline was given for when the full area would return to normal operations. Officials have not publicly announced whether the package posed any actual threat or what its contents were determined to be. Further updates are expected from the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office and F.E. Warren Air Force Base as the investigation concludes.
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