Lightning ignited a cottonwood tree and nearby surface fuels on the west side of the Snake River. A wildland fire engine and crew responded and contained the fire at 0.1 acres. Afterward, nearly an inch of rain has fallen in the fire area, which will limit any continued fire activity.
A wildland engine and firefighters responded to a night-time report of fire engulfing a tree near Pilgrim Creek. A lightning strike had ignited an isolated Douglas fir and nearby duff and sagebrush. Firefighters stopped surface fire by digging a control line. Water from backpack pumps cooled the bark and middle limbs, reducing the risk of wind-driven embers igniting nearby fuels.
The next day, in daylight, firefighters drove the wildland engine closer and continued to cool and wet the fire in the limbs and bark, preventing further fire spread.
The Stewart Creek Fire was reported by FAA, aviation, located 7 miles south east of Alpine. 6HE, helicopter crew located the .2 acre fire.
The second of two fires in the Pacific Creek drainage to date this season. A lightning detection flight found the small fire while flying the area after the thunderstorms from July 15. Tactics will include full suppression and minimum impact suppression tactics (MIST) as required for the Teton Wilderness Area.
A lightning storm passing over the Blackrock Ranger District is responsible for igniting this small fire. Two Teton Interagency fire module crew members accessed the fire on foot to size up and suppress the fire.
