2014 Wildfires

Incident Name Location Start Date Cause Acres Status
Cabin Creek Fire Big Piney District, BTNF 10-07-2014 Human 0.1 Out 10-08-2014

This fire was reported by hunters in the Cliff Creek area off Cabin Creek Trail. The wildfire was a result of an abandoned warming fire. The Firefighters hiked in and suppressed the fire the same day.

Coburn Fire Jackson Ranger District, BTNF 09-24-2014 Lightning 0.1 Out 10-17-2014

The Coburn Fire was detected and reported to Teton Interagency Fire Dispatch through the aid of a permitted outfitter in the Snake River Range. Fire Behavior during the incident was primarly low, smoldering in heavy dead timber on a ridgeline between South Fall and Coburn Creeks. Fire managers did witness the fire torching out one evening at 2200 with the webcam. Managers allowed this naturally caused fire to burn and preform its natural process to recycle heavy fuels and vegetation which have accumulated in the area. A active monitoring strategy requires fire managers to consider firefighter and public safety as a first priority.  During the life of the Coburn Fire multiple land management and Forest Plan objectives where accomplished with very little risk to fire personnel and minimal expense.

Silver Mine Fire Big Piney Ranger District/BTNF 09-24-2014 Lightning 0.25 Out 09-25-2014

This fire was reported by hunters in the Silver Mine/North Horse Creek area burning in a downed log surrounded by grass and sage. The fire is believed to have started from a lightning storm a few days prior. A helicopter from Teton Interagency fire along with firefighters from the Big Piney and Pinedale Ranger Districts responded to suppress the fire which was called out 9/25.

Barstow Beach Fire

Barstow Lake in Three Forks drainage on Greys River, Greys River Ranger District, BTNF 09-17-2014 Human 0.1 Out on 09-17-2014

The Barstow Beach Fire was started after persons used the stump portion of a large down and dead log for their campfire. The persons did not put out the fire "dead out". The fire was found by two hunters and reported. E-631 responded to the .10 acre fire and contained, controlled and called out by evening.

Toppings Fire

Buffalo Ranger District, BTNF 07-15-2014 Human 0.1 Out on 08-15-2014

This fire was started after a campfire was left unattended for only a short period of time. During a cool and cloudy afternoon, the campers started the fire and proceeded to leave the campsite with the fire burning and unattended.  A very large log within the fire ring extended over the fire break  and dropped burning embers on to adjacent unburnt fuels outside of the fire ring. The fire crept from the grasses and into a stand of willows, where the smoke became visible to other people visiting in the area. Had the weather this particular day been warmer and drier with higher winds, this fire could have easily started a much larger unwanted wildfire.  Rain over the area helped to impede the fire behavior and fire’s growth. This fire is a great reminder of just how careful we all must be with campfires under every weather condition.
It is vital that each of us take responsibility for never leaving a fire unattended and making sure the fire is cold to the touch and dead out before leaving the area. A three dollar campfire (the cost of firewood) can burn into a $225.00 ticket or worse yet, a multi-million dollar law suit, where lives and homes may have been threatened.

Merna Butte Fire Big Piney Ranger District, BTNF 08-12-2014 Lightning 0.1 Out 08-12-2014

This fire was reported on the Merna Butte, in the Horse Creek area west of Daniel, WY on Tuesday evening. Teton Interagency Engine 421 and Helicopter 26 responded and the fire was suppressed the same day.

North Fork Fire

Mosquito Creek Drainage, Jackson Ranger District, BTNF 08-08-2014 Lightning 0.1 Out on 08-11-2014

The North Fork fire was ignited when lightning storms tracked over Palisades Wilderness Study Area the evening of August 8th. The fire was detected and reported to Teton Interagency Fire Dispatch thru forest visitors in the fire area the following day. Upon initial attack, firefighters responded with the local helicopter and with the aid of bucket drops, where able to control the fire on August 11th. Monsoonal moisture over the region had reduced the fire behavior in the Greater Yellowstone Area the following days. Still with ample rainfall, the small North Fork Fire was able to produce torching trees, which are most often the catalyst regarding larger fire growth and therefore hamper suppression tactics for firefighters. It was the same fire behavior during the Green Knoll Fire in August of 2001, which contributed to the challenges in suppression tactics and control of that fire. The North Fork Fire was the fourth wildland fire that Interagency Fire managers had suppressed within the proposed Teton to Snake Fuels Management project this 2014 fire season.

West Crossing Fire National Elk Refuge, Highway 89 07-25-2014 Human 0.1 Out 07/25/2014

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.

Volunteer Fire Smiths Fork, Greys River Ranger District, BTNF 07-23-2014 Human 0.8 Out
The Volunteer Fire was reported at 4:30 on 7-23. Afton Vounteer Fire Department from Lincoln County and Engine 631 from Greys River Ranger District responded to the fire, which was located approximately 1/2 mile on the Smiths Fork road. The fire was an abandoned campfire that spotted and spread outside of the fire ring and grew to approimately 1/8 of an acre in size.

Bang Creek

Bang Creek, Jackson Ranger District, BTNF 07-21-2014 Lightning 72 Out 9-18-2014

This was located in the Bacon Ridge area of the Jackson Ranger District.The fire was actively managed and allowed to plays its natural role on the landscape as identified in Land Management Plans for resource objectives. The fire displayed little fire activtity and minimal growth during the cool wet summer. 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.

Wolf Fire

Jackson Ranger District, BTNF 07-14-2014 Lightning 13 Out 09-18-2014

The Wolf Fire was the little fire that would not give up!  After much rain and cool weather over the fire area, wisps of smoke were still visible all season long via the webcam. The remote camera proved to be a big success on this incident. Having the ability to view the Wolf Ridge area through the lens of the camera helped to limit firefighter safety, the cost of the interagency helicopter flights, to include limited exposure and contributed to the consent of allowing this fire to assume its natural progression in the wild.

The lightning caused fire had moderate spread potential as it burned within the Palisades Wilderness Study Area. The fire was 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 had numerous natural barriers to slow fire spread including rock and sparsely vegetated slopes, aspen stands, and tall forb meadows.  Thank you to the partners and stakeholders for their cooperation with allowing this fire to be managed and allowed to play its natural ecological role of fire.

Crescent Fire Jackson Ranger District, BTNF 07-14-2014 Lightning 0.10 Out 07-15-2014

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 was 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 that day. Interagency firefighters responded to the small fire in the interior of the Green Knoll fire, upon fire size up, firefighters reported “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 was the third unwanted fire Interagency Fire managers had responded to in the Fall Creek, Teton Pass area this 2014 fire season.

Badger Fire Sublette County, WY 07-12-2014 Lightning 0.10 Out 07-13-2014
This fire was discovered burning in mixed conifer just off the Forest boundary along Badger Creek approximately one mile east of the Flying A Ranch. Teton Interagency Fire Engine 671 assisted Sublette County firefighters in suppressing the fire.
712 Road Fire Pinedale Ranger District, BTNF 07-12-2014 Lightning 0.10 Out 07-12-2014
This fire was discovered between Battleship Mountain and Kendall Mountain in the Upper Green River area burning in heavy timber. Firefighters from Engine 671 hiked in and extinquished the fire.
Spruce Fire Greys River Ranger District, BTNF 07-11-2014 Human 0.10 Out 07-12-2014
The Spruce Fire is located in Spruce Hollow approximately 2 miles east of Grover Park, WY. The fire is approximately 10' x 10'. The fire was smoldering in light timber and brush. Firefighters from Engine 631 suppressed the fire.
Red Mountain Fire Greys River Ranger District, BTNF 07-10-2014 Lightning 0.10 Out 08-06-2014
Teton Interagency firefighters responded to a smoke report south of Red Top Mountain. The fire was approximately 10' x 10' burning in a single snag and smoldering in surrounding grass and brush. Due to very steep terrain the helicopter was unable to land upon locating the fire. Firefighters from Engine 631 hiked in to the fire the following day and contained it.
Eagles Rest Fire West of Jackson Lake, GTNP 07-03-2014 Lightning 0.25 Out 07-13-2014
Teton Interagency firefighters responded July 3 to a smoke report west of Jackson Lake at the southeast base of Eagles Rest. The fire was ignited by lighting and is within the Fire Use Zone identified in Grand Teton National Park's Fire Management Plan. The fire is being monitored and managed for multiple objectives. Fire spread is limited by live green fuels and by reduced fuel loading near the fire, which is burning within the Moran Bay Fire in 2000. The fire area received an estimated half inch of rain and was declared out on July 13.
Stewart Draw Fire Death Canyon, GTNP 06-22-2014 Lightning 0.25 Out 07-07-2014
Teton Interagency firefighters responded June 22 to a smoke report east of Stewart's Draw and approximately 1 mile north of Death Canyon trailhead, in Grand Teton National Park. During a fast-moving thunderstorm, lightning ignited a single Douglas-fir tree and ground fuels at its base. The fire is burning in a dead tree hanging in the forest canopy and in the forest litter and fallen logs. The Stewart Draw Fire is within the Fire Use Zone identified in Grand Teton National Park's Fire Management Plan and is being managed for multiple objectives. The fire will be monitored while planning efforts continue. Cloudy and cooler weather will likely limit fire growth.
Alder Fire Pow Wow Peak, Jackson Ranger District, BTNF 06-23-2014 Lightning 0.1 Out
Interagency fire Helicopter 25X flew the Alder fire after sizing up the Red Creek fire on 6/23 and was unable to report any fire activity or smoke within the fire area. The Alder fire was detected when hikers in the Ann Mountain area reported a smoke in the Willow and Alder Creek drainages on 6/14, four miles south of Hoback Junction and one mile east of Pow Wow Peak on the Jackson Ranger District. The landscape within the drainage is very difficult to access safely for firefighters and was managed for firefighter safety and to revitalize aspen stands for the improvement of big game habitat. A helicopter reconnaissance flight measured the fire’s size, less than an acre, smoldering in heavy timber with very low spread potential. A lightning map from the evening of June 12th confirmed multiple strikes in the area and was the same storm responsible for igniting the Beaver Fire and 4 other small fires in the region. 
Pole Creek Fire 50 mi NE Kemmerer, BTNF 06-10-2014 Prescribed 150 Out 07-07-2014
The fire was called out on July 7th. Crews will continue to monitor the fire over the next few weeks for interior smoke and hotspots . The closure order has been lifted and the public is advised to use caution when entering into the fire areas, as snags and burned out stumps may be present. The Pole Creek Fire is located in a remote area, approximately 50 miles northeast of Kemmerer. The Pole Creek burn was converted to a wildfire after a dry cold front came across Wyoming, on the afternoon of June 10th.
Red Creek Fire Hoback Canyon,Jackson Ranger District BTNF 06-22-2014 Lightning 0.1 Out 06-24-2014
Interagency Helicopter 25X and 4 helitack members responded and put out this smoke near Red Creek, south of Hoback Junction of the Jackson Ranger District. The lightning caused fire was approximately one tenth of an acre, burning a tree snag and called out the next day.
Antelope Fire Shadow Mountain, Jackson Ranger District, BTNF 06-07-2014 Human 9.5 Out 06-20-2014
Fire resources from the Bridger-Teton National Forest and Grand Teton National Park responded to a report of a smoke on Shadow Mountain north of Jackson, on the afternoon of June 7th. Primarily burning in aspen understory of thatch grass and dead logs, the early season fire grew to over 9 acres before firefighters and the local interagency helicopter where able to completely secure fire line around the perimeter. The Incident Commander called the fire contained at 2035 on June 8th. . The incident was investigated for fire cause. Anyone with information that may be helpful is asked to call 307-739-5424
Boulder Fire Boulder Lake Estates, Pinedale RD, BTNF 06-12-2014 Lightning 0.3 Out 06-15-2014
A lightning storm passing through the region on the evening of June 12th, kindled a new 0.3 acre fire on the Pinedale Ranger District. The zone Fire Manager and Engine 421 responded to the fire near the Boulder Lake Estates. Upon fire size up, fire crews were advised to suppress the flames burning in sage and grass. The fire danger rating in the Teton Interagency region had been elevated to moderate; earlier the same day. Fire staff will look at lightning maps and patrol areas for other possible new fires from the storm.
Black Canyon Fire Phillips Ridge, Jackson RD, BTNF 06-12-2014 Lightning 0.1 Out 06-14-2014
Interagency Fire Engine 3, stationed out of Moose WY. in Grand Teton National Park, responded to the Phillips Ridge area on Teton Pass to suppress this reported smoke. After a short rain, the crew returned the following day to call the fire out. The Black Canyon Fire was reported by members of the public recreating in the area. Fire size upon detection was .10 acre with very low spread potential and smoldering in a mixed stand of broken timber. The fire was one of four new lightning caused fires sparked by a cold front and dry thunderstorms tracking over the area the evening of June 12th. All fires from that storm where under full fire suppression response due to the predicted weather comming in the following week.
Bacon Fire Bacon Ridge, Pinedale RD, BTNF 06-13-2014 Lightning 0.1 Out 06-14-2014
The Bacon Fire is located atop Bacon Ridge in a remote area of northern portion of the Pinedale Ranger District. After a flurry of new lightning caused fires in the interagency area, the Bacon Fire was found burning in a stand of open timber. Two firefighters are on fire scene after aerial delivery by helicopter and suppressing the tenth of an acre fire.
Beaver Fire Southeast of Hoback Junction, BTNF 06-13-2014 Lightning 0.1 Out 06-14-2014
The Beaver Fire is approximately 5 miles southeast of Hoback Junction on the Jackson Ranger District. The start of this lightning fire was witness by residents of the Bryan Flats guard station on the evening of June 12th as a lightning storm struck the Beaver Mountain area. Teton Interagency helicopter 25HX delivered one Teton Helitack member and one Engine 441 firefighter to suppress the smoldering single tree fire. The Beaver Mountain prescribed fire (RX) perimeter is located directly adjacent of this new fire start. The RX primary objective is to create a defensible space for the Bryan Flats community in the event of a fire, similar to the new Beaver wildfire, during the height of fire season.
Coal Canyon Fire Munger Mountain, Jackson RD, BTNF 05-24-2014 Lightning 0.1 Out 05-24-2014
On May 24th, the Coal Canyon fire was the first detected lightning caused fire of the 2014 fire season. The fire was reported by a local homeowner from the Munger Mountain area within the Jackson Ranger District after a late afternoon thunderstorm passed over the area. Interagency wildland fire engine 441, located the fire burning in a lodgepole pine snag, close to a small creek. The 441 engine crew reported the highlight on this incident as having the neighborhood kids' visit and touring the fire engine after the fire was suppressed. The fire was declared contained and out the same evening.
Flat Antler Fires Flat Creek, Jackson RD, BTNF 05-01-2014 Human 0.1 Out 05-01-2014
Several small abandoned campfires where suppressed in the Flat Creek drainage of the Jackson Ranger District on the morning of May 1st. The five warming fires where all started by hikers keeping warm after a long, cold night of searching for antlers in the previously designated winter closure area for wildlife. May 1st is the first date the public is able to access the special closure areas since the Special Order's effective date of December 1st.
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