JACKSON, Wyo. — Recent cool and wet weather has allowed Teton Interagency Fire managers to lift stage 1 fire restrictions in the region, though fire danger remains “high.”
Implemented toward the end of July, the stage 1 fire restrictions covered Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF), the National Elk Refuge and unincorporated areas of Teton County. A Tuesday press release from BTNF said that Teton Interagency firefighters have responded to and promptly extinguished several lightning-caused fires in recent weeks. Based on the successful efforts and other factors, managers determined it was appropriate to lift restrictions.
Jackson Hole Fire/EMS Deputy Chief Brian Coe told Buckrail that precipitation occurred at critical times throughout the summer, boosting moisture in potential fuels. “We definitely have made it through the summer without having those extreme fire events that we get whenever fuels start drying out,” he said. “We’ve been lucky.”
Precipitation, cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity in August have lessened the threat of wildfire, according to BTNF. Coe said the winter’s low snowpack and early-summer fire activity in the region were concerning, but the “energy release component” of fuels has stayed lower than anticipated. Energy release component is a measure of the total possible heat release within fuels, and it is one predictor of fire behavior.
Up until now, conifers have been the main driver of fire behavior, Coe said, but new fire fuels are expected to be present in the coming months. “Our grasses and sage are going to start curing and basically doing what they do every fall — becoming more available to burn as they get less and less moisture content,” he explained. “That’s just a natural occurrence as they go through their curing process.”
BTNF said that Teton Interagency personnel have extinguished 99 unattended and abandoned campfires. That number has trended upward over previous years, according to Coe, and campfires are still a concern. Recreationists are asked to follow smart fire practices as hunting seasons and the upcoming holiday weekend approach.
“We’re asking that hunters stay very vigilant and make sure if they are having any type of fires, with hunting seasons starting up, that those fires are cold to the touch and completely out before they leave camp,” Coe said. “Just make sure that we’re being cognizant of where, when, and how we’re starting fires and ultimately making sure that those are out before we leave camp.”
While open fires are now permitted, keep in mind that campfires in GTNP are only allowed in designated metal fire grates, and campfires are prohibited on the National Elk Refuge. All open burns in Teton County must be reported to Teton County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch at (307) 733-2331. Open burns within the town of Jackson are only allowed during designated fall and spring cleanup weeks.
