JACKSON, Wyo. — Firefighters continue working to suppress the Horse Creek Fire, which has spread across 43 acres in Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF).
The fire, located in the Big Piney Ranger District about 30 miles south of Hoback, WY, has been growing for over two weeks since Monday, July 1, when Forest Service fire crews first noticed smoke coming from the Fish Creek drainage. At that point it covered only half an acre.
The fire, caused by a lightning strike, has reached the point where it’s exhausted BTNF’s firefighting resources, causing the Forest to call in a Type 3 Incident Management Team, which took over fighting the Horse Creek Fire at 6 a.m. Friday, July 12.
Rugged terrain including steep slopes, snags and dense downfall, is making the fire difficult to fight, BTNF said on its Facebook page.
“We are looking for the most viable option in terms of containing the fire and safety for the firefighters who are working on the steep slopes and in the dead weakened trees,” Forest Prevention Officer for BTNF Lex Scanlan said in a statement.
The Forest has closed several trails in the area around the fire to allow for movement of firefighters and equipment.
BTNF reminded people that fire danger in the forest is currently high, meaning that fires can start easily from small fuel sources like grass and needles.
