Bridger Teton National Forest Projects
Star Valley Front Vegetation Project, Greys River RD
Located east of Star Valley and consists of a 64,612 acre project area with 31,477 acres proposed burn units extending from Strawberry Creek south to Cottonwood Creek, from the forest boundary to the top of the Salt River Range.
For more information contact the Greys River Ranger District at (307) 886-5300
Star Valley Ranch Fuels Reduction Project, Greys River RD
History: In 2014, the Greys River Ranger District and the Town of Star Valley Ranch were successful in receiving a Wyoming State Forestry division grant to treat hazardous fuels on both private and public land along the border with the town. The $180,000 grant was divided between the town and the Forest Service. This vegetation treatment is an interagency cooperative effort with the Bridger-Teton National Forest and Teton Interagency Fire, the Town of Star Valley Ranch, Lincoln County, Wyoming, and Wyoming State Forestry Division.
“The project was implemented to provide greater defensible space and to lower the wildfire risk to homes and private property bordering the Bridger-Teton,” said Greys River District Ranger Justin Laycock. “Fuel reduction projects create more open areas that will help moderate fire behavior during a wildfire which increases firefighter and public safety,” he said.
For more information on prescribed fire, fuels reduction projects and defensible space, call the Greys River Ranger District at 307-886-5300.
Monument Ridge Vegetation and Recreation Management project
The Monument Ridge Vegetation and Recreation Management Project, proposed by the Sublette County Collaborative, is multifaceted. It addresses vegetation management within the wildland urban interface, wildlife habitat enhancement activities, along with safety and access improvements for recreation. These activities are set to improve forest health and promote wildlife populations for elk, mule deer, and sage grouse. This project will provide positive wildlife benefits and recreation opportunities well into the future.
Pinedale Ranger District: Skyline Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Reduction Project
Fuels reduction treatments utilizing equipment as well as prescribed burning. The treatments will reduce the risk of high severity wildfire and increase public and firefighter safety.
Jackson Ranger District: Teton to Snake Fuels Reduction Project
Crews are hoping to start lighting the many piles on Phillips Ridge as early as mid-October or as weather will permit for safe operations.
03/07/2022 Jackson District fire staff will return to the Phillips Ridge area to finish burning fuel treatment piles stacked during the Teton to Snake fuels reduction implementation phase. Wednesday 3/9, traffic traveling Teton Pass may see open flames and some visible smoke, as fire crews take advantage of snow in the area and surrounding piles. Press Release
10/27/2021 Crews have moved swiftly across the top of the ridge line to complete 40 acres and tomorrow will close up all burn operations on Unit 7, the largest unit. Completed units to date include units 2, 3 and 4 on the public information map. After tomorrow's operations, crews will wait for more moisture to return to the area and until that weather comes in, crews will remain in the area to patrol and keep an eye out for creeping fire behavior and also remove any snags that might threaten the trails in the area.
10/26/2021 Great progress is being made on the piles up Phillips Ridge! A total of 240 acres completed in a couple days. At roughly 40 piles an acre, that is 9,600 piles eliminated on our term's and not left to battled during an unwanted wildfire. Crews will continue through the week and as long as conditions allow for objectives to be met.
Teton Interagency fuels specialists thank the public for the patience after along fire season and to our firefighter's who continue to support communities in fire protection, even after fire season. Thank you !
Kemmerer Ranger District:
Hams Fork Vegetation Treatment Project, Kemmerer Ranger District
This multi-unit project area covering approximately 74,267 acres is a result of the Hams Fork decision which includes timber sales, aspen restoration, hazard tree removal and prescribed burning.
The purpose of this project is to improve existing aspen stands by prescribed burning in a large area to stimulate aspen cover types. This objective will allow improvement over a large enough area to help minimize impacts from big game animals. In addition to lowering fuel loads and benefiting wildlife, the project will also enhance the visual quality of aspen.
Locations for prescribed burns are one unit in Basin Creek (27 acres) off the Green Knoll/Big Spring cutoff, Nugent Park (68 acres) located in the vicinity of Tunp Range.
- Project Map,
- Flyer
- News Release
For more information on this project contact Tim Sherwin, 307-828-5112
La Barge Vegetation Restoration Project, Kemmerer Ranger District
Continued fire suppression has attributed to the homogeneous, older, conifer-dominated landscape. There are currently large areas of the late secessional mountain sagebrush habitat resulting in the reduction of diversity in herbaceous plants. There remains a need to increase the health, vigor and resiliency of forest stands while diversifying the sagebrush successional stages. The La Barge Vegetation Restoration project area is 52,573 acres. 2,217 acres have been identified for future prescribed fire operations to be conducted over multiple years and broken into smaller units.
Two units will be targeted, Packsaddle Ridge (477 acres) and sections of Little Hornet (602 acres, broken up into smaller units). These acres will be completed over multiple entries and not during one attempt. The burns may take place in the fall and in the spring, weather permitting.
For more information on this project contact Tim Sherwin, 307-828-5112
Grand Teton National Park Projects - 2022
Granite Entrance / Seligman
Colter Bay Ridgetop
Snake River Land Company
Historic Structures Mowing
This annual effort will treat primarily grass and herbaceous fuels in the immediate vicinity of a number of historic properties in Grand Teton National Park. These mechanical treatments are completed primarily with mowers and weed-eaters. Project implementation is in the summer once most grass growth has finished and prior to the fine fuels fully curing for the year. Wildland fire continues to be one of the greatest threats to loss of historic properties in the area.
Fire Effects Monitoring
The Teton Interagency Fire program includes a robust Fire Effects Monitoring element. The Fire Effects Crew visits treatments before implementation and post-treatment. Treatment objectives are designed not only to be effective in changing fire behavior but also measurable in the field post treatment in order to determine success. The crew may establish permanent plots, measure burned area recovery, conduct fuels transects, and/or establish photo points. Post treatment visits are scheduled at regular intervals (1 year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years..) dependent on how each projects objectives are written.
In 2022 the Fire Effects Crew workload will include the following:
Proposed projects where pretreatment monitoring will be established:
Beaver Creek Historic Housing Phase II Mechanical Treatment - Establish monitoring to assess pretreatment conditions for a proposed mechanical treatment to reduce fuels around employee housing
Snake River Land Company Mechanical Treatment- Establish monitoring to assess pretreatment conditions for a proposed mechanical treatment around structures
Lizard Creek Campground Mechanical Treatment - Establish monitoring to assess pretreatment conditions for a proposed mechanical treatment to reduce fuels around the campground
Project revisits to previous treatments, both prescribed fire and mechanical:
Colter Bay Housing Mechanical - Retake photopoints in the employee housing area 10 years post treatment, assess the need for additional fuels reduction
Granite Creek Prescribed Burn - Retake photopoints and assess smooth brome impact on shrub regenerations 15 years post burn
Jackson Lake Lodge Willow Prescribed Burn - Retake photopoints at 20 years post treatment
Kelly Prescribed Burn - Retake photopoints at 20 years post treatment
Leeks Mechanical - Retake photopoints 10 years post treatment, assess need for additional fuels reduction
Lower Spread Cr Prescribed Burn - Retake photopoints at 25 years post treatment
Matilda Fire - Retake photopoints at 15 years post treatment
Timbered Island Prescribed Burn - Retake photopoints at 20 years post treatment
Wolff Ridge Prescribed Burn - Retake photopoints at 20 years post treatment
The crew works across the Teton Interagency Fire area, visiting treatments conducted across the Bridger-Teton National Forest and adjacent lands as well.
For further information regarding fuels management activities in Grand Teton National Park or the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, please contact Bill Mayer, Deputy Fire Management Officer at 739-3313.