JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton County has officially entered into stage 1 fire restrictions as of Tuesday morning, which prohibit open fires in unincorporated areas of the county.
The Teton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) unanimously approved the measure presented by Jackson Hole Fire/EMS Fire Chief Mike Moyer at its morning meeting. Moyer and JH Fire/EMS meet weekly with regional partners to assess local fire danger. Though it rained overnight, Moyer stressed that potential fuels dry out quickly in heat like that experienced recently. Areas of the county have been under high fire danger since June 18.
“While we’ve seen rounds of moisture over the last three weeks, we started at a significant deficit this year,” Moyer told the BCC. “Fuel moistures in our light fuels can pick up moisture quickly — the sages and grasses — but then they can dry out just as quickly when we return to the heat in the sun that we’ve had the last few days. Larger fuels started at a deficit from our midwinter lack of snow, and they do not respond quickly to these rounds of moisture that we see come through.”
Severe drought and an excessive amount of inflammable material have led regional fire managers to implement the restrictions. Moyer also mentioned that the national preparedness level — a measurement of available fire suppression resources — is currently at a 5, the highest level possible. This means that national resources are currently heavily committed.
“Here, 85% of wildfires are human caused, and restrictions help to lower the risk of high consequence fires by eliminating that exposure to human caused fires,” Moyer said. “We look at recreational visitor days and special events, which we are all very aware, we are in the thick of it right now. We look at fire occurrences, abandoned campfires, human caused fires and natural fires.” Teton Interagency Fire’s website states that 46 unattended campfires have been discovered in the area this season.
Stage 1 restrictions prohibit open fires in the unincorporated areas of Teton County, but this is not an outright ban on all fires. Those who violate the newly approved restrictions could be charged with a misdemeanor and a fine of $100, or imprisonment for up to 30 days. The following exceptions are still allowed:
- Trash or refuse fires are permitted between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 a.m., inside containers with a maximum ¼-inch screen spark arresters and located within a cleared area 15 feet in radius.
- Campfires contained within an established fire ring at an established campground are permitted to be located within a minimum of 15 feet cleared radius of burnable materials.
- Charcoal fires within enclosed grills are permitted.
- The use of acetylene cutting torches, electric arc welders or metal grinding in cleared areas of 15 feet in radius is permitted.
- The use of portable stoves, lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum, pressurized liquid fuel or fully enclosed (sheepherder type) stoves and open fire branding activities in cleared areas 15 feet in radius are permitted.
- The use of home fire pits and bowls is permitted, so long as they are used with maximum ¼-inch screen spark arresters.
- Current Teton County Board of County Commissioners Resolution 13-027, banning fireworks pursuant to W.S. §35-10-202 remains in effect.
As a reminder: Open burning is prohibited within the Town of Jackson, except during designated spring and fall burn weeks.
