JACKSON, Wyo. — The outlook is good for firework shows planned across Teton County this Independence Day.
“We have every intention of proceeding with the fireworks both at Teton Village and in the Town of Jackson,” said Jackson Hole Fire Chief Brady Hansen.
In 2021, firework displays were canceled as fire danger was too high and conditions were deemed hazardous by fire officials.
“Last year we were in a very different fuel moisture index,” said Chief Hansen.
Fuel moisture index represents how much moisture is in the forest litter. That’s everything from the grasses to the old-growth timbers and everything in between. That fuel moisture index gives fire officials a predictor on how fire will behave.
Currently, some of the big fuels (trees and old-growth timbers) are unusually dry, but the smaller fuels (grasses and sticks) are maintaining fairly good fuel moisture according to Chief Hansen.
“Based on [this] we do intend to shoot the fireworks off, it looks really good.”
The only problem Chief Hansen says, is that smaller fuels can dry out really fast and wind conditions can change fire behavior.
“The watch out though is we can still cancel those fireworks the day of the event or even right before the event, depending on the wind. If we had a big wind event we won’t shoot those fireworks off.”
And it is that season where fires are starting to happen.
“We did have a small grass fire yesterday that we were able to get contained very quickly,” Hansen said.
Yesterday, fire danger increased to “moderate” for Grand Teton National Park, Bridger-Teton National Forest and the National Elk Refuge.
Teton Interagency Fire officials determined that the potential for fire activity has increased due to summer drying of vegetation combined with warmer and windy conditions.
Fireworks are illegal in Teton County and all surrounding public lands.
