Teton Interagency Fire

Teton Interagency fire crews responded to a small roadside fire on Friday afternoon, July 25, several miles north of Jackson along Highway 89. Both Teton Interagency Fire Dispatch and the Teton County Sheriff’s Office received a number of calls shortly after noon regarding a possible fire north of the Grand Teton National Park south boundary sign at the top of Fish Hatchery Hill. 

Passersby on Highway 89 took initial action, pulling off on the side of the highway to attempt to extinguish the small fire before it grew. The West Crossing fire was located immediately adjacent to the Highway 89 road surface, and though the specific cause of the fire could not be determined, it was declared human caused. The fire blackened a 4 ft. x 20 ft. area and was officially declared out at 1:30 pm.

This fire is burning in timber, brush, and grass in steep, inaccessible terrain in the Silver Creek drainage approximately 11 miles east of Boulder, Wyo. The fire is located in the Scab Creek Wilderness Study Area, about 150 yards from the Bridger-Teton NF's Bridger Wilderness boundary. Due to firefighter safety concerns, this fire will be in monitor status unless fire activity increases. The public is urged to use caution or avoid the area entirely since fire behavior can change suddenly and fire spread is unpredictable if high winds develop.

Interagency fire helicopter 25Xray flew the Bang Creek incident to evaluate active fire behavior following a couple of days of cloud cover and moisture over the area. The fire continues to creep and smolder with little to no new growth added to the perimeter. Predicted weather over the fire on Thursday calls for the possibility of isolated thunderstorms with Friday and Saturday having a bit of a higher chance for thunderstorms. Otherwise, the fire can expect mostly sunny skies, fairly seasonal temps, a chance of light measurable rainfall, and light winds. IC Lancaster has taken command of the fire and will continue to monitor and update fire managers and fire information.

This fire is located in the Bacon Ridge area of the Jackson Ranger District. Fire Managers neighboring forest land managers and allowed to play its natural role on the landscape as identified in Land Management Plans for resource objectives. Natural lightning caused fires can be used as an effective tool to achieve and maintain healthy forests. A fire such as the Bang Creek Fire operates within the natural historical fire pattern, frequency and intensity that prevail in this area. Currently, there are no trail or area closures for the fire. Smoke maybe visible from New Fork and Green River Lakes once warmer and drier weather returns to the region.

Teton interagency fire staff continues to monitor the fire’s activity remotely with the aid of a web camera located east of the fire. There is a new smoke east of the ridgeline in the Station Creek drainage most likely due to a roll out or flying ember. The new smoke is situated adjacent to a natural barrier of barren soil on steep terrain. The 13 acre fire continues to creep and smolder with little new growth. Predicted weather over the fire on Thursday calls for the possibility of isolated thunderstorms with Friday and Saturday having a bit of a higher chance for thunderstorms. Otherwise, the Wolf Fire can expect mostly sunny skies, fairly seasonal temps, a chance of light measurable rainfall, and light winds. IC Williams has taken command of the fire and will continue to monitor and update fire managers and cooperators.

The lightning caused fire has moderate spread potential as it burns within the Palisades Wilderness Study Area. The fire is located on the upper slope of the ridgeline between Wolf and Station Creeks, approximately 1.5 miles north of Highway 26/89 in the Snake River Canyon.  The terrain is steep and rugged and has numerous natural barriers to fire spread including rock and sparsely vegetated slopes, aspen stands, and tall forb meadows.  Smoke may be visible from the Snake River corridor at times. In cooperation with partners and stakeholders, the fire is being managed to safely allow the natural ecological role of fire to rejuvenate aspen stands and improve big game habitat consistent with land management plan resource objectives, with the least exposure to incident responders and members of the public. 

The small Crescent fire on the Jackson Ranger District was ignited when severe lightning storms tracked over Jackson WY. on the evening of July 14th.  One of two positive ground strikes in the area is responsible for the small Crescent Fire located west of the Crescent H subdivision in the Fall Creek area.  A lightning map of the area recorded approximately 80 strikes within a 24 hour period inside the Palisades Wilderness Study Area alone.  Interagency firefighters responding to the small fire in the interior of the Green Knoll fire, reported the fire size up as “low threat of fire spread potential”. The threat of low spread and decline of active fire behavior is attributed to the burning and reduction of the forest fuels build-up which was a direct result of the active Green Knoll Fire in August of 2001. The occurrence of large fires can act as a natural break by reducing years of fuels build up and thereby lowering the likelihood of another potentially large wildland fire for many years to come.  The Crescent Fire is the third unwanted fire Interagency Fire managers have responded to in the Fall Creek, Teton Pass area this 2014 fire season.