JACKSON, Wyo. — After conducting ground moisture testing, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS determined that fireworks can safely explode in the night skies above Snow King Mountain Resort and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort this Fourth of July holiday.
Jackson Hole Fire/EMS Assistant Chief of Operations Brian Coe told Buckrail that the agency, along with Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF) and Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), made the decision to continue on with both firework displays this Friday evening.
Coe explained that testing the percentage of moisture in live fuels and dead fuels helped Fire/EMS assess the probability of a wildfire igniting due to fireworks. He said that Teton Interagency Fire conducted tests on grasses and larger “thousand hour fuels,” such as the conifers at the base of Snow King,
“There’s critical thresholds that we look at,” Coe said. “Those calculations tell us what the probability of ignition would be.”
Coe said that after assessing the region’s fuel moisture and available resources, both nationally and locally, Fire/EMS ran a matrix, which measured the local fire danger as being between the normal and critical range.
“We were right there on the threshold of whether or not to allow fireworks,” Coe said.
After looking at samples across BTNF, GTNP and on the face of Snow King, Fire/EMS concluded it was safe to move forward with the valley’s fireworks displays. Coe stressed though that fire danger is still currently rated as “high,” and crews will be taking extra precautions this year.
“We’re going to have a crew on Snow King with fire bags and a type 6 engine,” Coe said. “We will also have a crew from Teton Interagency Fire and employees from GTNP and BTNF.”
Coe reminds visitors and community members that fireworks are illegal in the Town of Jackson and on national forest lands. He said that if a firework were to go off and land in receptive fuel, a wildland fire could potentially ignite.
“Go enjoy the shows both at Snow King and Teton Village,” Coe said. “Be careful and let’s not set off any fireworks in town or on the forest and cause any fires.”
The Fourth of July fireworks displays will take place at approximately 10 p.m. at both Teton Village and Snow King Mountain.
