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New
fires over the weekend in one in the wilderness in the Big Sandy area
and one in the Greys River in Roosevelt Meadows.
Iron
Creek Fire - 35 acres, Big Sandy area
Believed
to be a lightning holdover, a new fire started south of Fish Creek Park
in the Big Sandy area on Sunday afternoon. Contrary to the name, it is
not in Iron Creek. It is south of Dad's & Marms Lake and the Fish
Creek Park area. It is approximately 3 miles north of Big Sandy Lodge
and 5 miles from the Summer homes. Currently it is burning within the
wilderness area and is being managed for
"wildland fire use for resource benefit", according to Jay Anderson,
Public Affairs Specialist for the Bridger-Teton National Forest. It will
be monitored closedly in the event a suppression strategy is necessary.
Firefighters are monitoring the fire boundary and working to keep the
fire north of its present location.
This fire is burning within the wilderness in a very rocky
area and reached approximately 35 acres in size today. Since it is not
possible to dig a fireline in this rocky area, the fire is being managed
with modified suppression strategy. This involves designating an area
where the fire will be allowed to burn to meet management objectives and
confining it within an area. "Basically we're going to herd the fire
where we want it with a containment strategy since we can't put a fireline
in this rocky area" said Cindy Stein of the Pinedale Ranger District.
Eight smokejumpers and a helicopter were on the fire today
in suppression efforts. The fire is burning within about 1/8 mile of the
Fremont Trail, approximately 2.5-3 miles north of the Big Sandy trailhead.
The trail is currently open and signs are posted at the trailhead warning
hikers of the fire and any advisories. If the fire worsens, the trail
may be closed. This will be evaluated on a daily basis. Visitors wanting
to go into this area can call the Pinedale Ranger District to get the
current status of the trail and fire.
The Forest Service thanks the public for reporting this
fire quickly. "We got tons of calls about this fire" said Cindy
Stein. Quick notification is a big help for firefighters to get resources
to wildfires quickly before the fire gets very big.
Roosevelt
Fire - 25 acres, Roosevelt Meadows
The
Roosevelt fire is located approximately one mile west of Roosevelt Meadows
in the Greys River District. This fire has been showing extreme fire behavior
and was at 25 acres earlier today. A 21-person Interagency hand crew,
8 smoke jumpers, a Type II (medium duty) helicopter and 4 air tankers
were on this fire today. Three additional 20-person hand crews were ordered
to relieve the Interagency firefighters presently working this fire.
Boulder
Fire - 100% Contained
Fire
crews are making regular patrols of the Boulder Fire to make sure it isn't
flaring up. It continues to burn in some small patches of aspens, but
is being watched carefully. All closures and restrictions were lifted
from this area.
The Boulder Fire was located on Bridger-Teton National Forest
and private land between Boulder and Burnt Lakes, approximately 8 air
miles east of Pinedale and 7 air miles northeast of Boulder, Wyoming.
The fire burned on the north side of Boulder Lake on a south-facing slope,
almost exclusively in grass and sagebrush with only small pockets of aspen
trees burned. Boulder Lake Summer Homes, Skinner Brothers Wilderness Camp
on Burnt Lake, and Boulder Lake BLM Campground were threatened within
a mile of the blaze, but the fire did not reach them. This fire is suspected
to have been human-caused, but the exact cause has not been officially
determined.
Other
Fires
The Virginia Peak Fire is burning near Virginia Peak in the Greys
River drainage. This fire was contained at 2 acres.
The
Bear Cub Fire is in the Teton Wilderness approximately 6 miles
north of Brooks Lake. This fire is presently being managed as a Wildland
Fire Use for Resource Benefit and will be closely monitored in the event
suppression becomes necessary.
The
Falcon Fire moved west of Falcon Creek over the weekend and is
now estimated at 2,700 acres. It is being managed in cooperation with
Yellowstone National Park. There is concern for the Hawk's Rest Patrol
Cabin located near Bridger Lake on the northern boundary of the Teton
Wilderness.
The
Green Knoll Fire near Wilson is 100% Contained and Controlled,
but is still putting up some smoke as it burns vegetation within the fire
perimeter. Crews are closely monitoring this fire which probably won't
be completely out until the snow flies.
 Apparently
there is still some confusion about what is and isn't allowed under the
current fire restrictions and the Forest Service is still finding abandoned
campfires in dispersed areas as well as in campgrounds. The open fire
restriction applies to all of Sublette County, including private lands.
Ranchers and landowners: burning trash in open barrels is not permitted,
even on your own land. If you want to have a Bar-B-Q, you need to be using
either a fully enclosed grill or be in a campground using a provided pit
or metal fire grill. A developed recreation area means a campground managed
by the Forest Service, BLM or some agency. An open area at the end of
a two-track road by a lake or stream with a campfire ring is not a developed
camping spot! If you aren't sure what is permitted, call the Forest Service
or Sheriff's Office and ask. Anyone found responsible for causing a wildfire
may be held responsible for the firefighting costs, so a carelessly tossed
cigarette or morning warming fire could end up being very expensive.
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Earlier
Updates:
Wednesday,
August 22 update
Tuesday,
August 21, noon update
Monday, August
20 7pm update
Monday, August
20 10am update
Sunday, August
19 update
Wednesday, August
8 update
Wednesday, August
1 update
Sunday,
July 29 update
Friday,
July 27 update
Wednesday,
July 25 update
Tuesday,
July 24 update
Monday,
July 16 update
Monday, July 9 update
Sunday, July 8 update
Saturday, July 7 update
Friday July 6, 2001
9 pm update
Friday, July 6, 2001
8 am update
Thursday, July 5, 2001
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