JACKSON, Wyo. — This wildfire season, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS is urging the public to do its part to help prevent all accidental, human-caused wildfires. 

Jackson Hole’s wildfire season runs from June through September, according to Teton County. Fire crews have already been working hard to extinguish fires in the Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNP) and Yellowstone National Park.

The Horse Creek Fire, which has covered 43 acres in BTNF, has been 90% contained as of Monday, July 29. Most recently, a wildfire outside of Yellowstone National Park’s eastern boundary has burned 1,000 acres, as of Tuesday, July 30. Additionally, Jackson fire crews have been working to put out wildfires in neighboring states.

“Some of our local firefighting resources have been deployed to fires in Montana and Utah so we need to be very conscientious of our behavior as it gets hotter and drier,” Jackson Hole Fire/EMS Wildfire Mitigation Coordinator Bobbi Clauson told Buckrail. “We need to be hyper-vigilant with camp or recreational fires. Teton Interagency Fire has reported at least 45 abandoned campfires so far this year, which is just unacceptable.”

Accidental human-caused wildfires are typically worse than those caused by natural agents because they often start along roads, trails, streams or at campsites and dwellings that are on lower slopes or at the bottoms of hills and valleys. Nurtured by updrafts, these fires can spread quickly uphill.

Uncontrolled wildland fire can produce negative impacts on public safety and the environment. Historically, three Jackson Hole wildfires, the Wildlife Museum Fire (2019), the Saddle Butte Fire (2019) and the Swinging Bridge Fire (2020), prompted evacuations and required numerous firefighting resources to successfully manage.

Teton County Emergency Management has offered the following tips to reduce the incidence of these types of fires:

  • Always check for fire restrictions before lighting any kind of fire. Remember that low fire danger does not mean no fire danger. Check www.tetonfires.com to see what fire regulations are in place
  • Always attend a campfire, make sure it is dead out and cold to the touch before abandoning. Remember: Drown, Stir, Feel, Repeat
  • To report wildland fires call 911 or Teton Interagency Dispatch Center at 307-739-3630. Fireworks cause almost 20,000 reported fires in the U.S. each year. Fireworks are not permitted in Grand Teton National Park, on the Bridger-Teton National Forest, within the National Elk Refuge or in Sublette and Teton Counties.
  • Motorists are responsible for many of the fires sparked along roadways. Secure chains and ensure nothing is dragging on the ground. Never drive a vehicle onto dry grass or brush. Keep a fire extinguisher in the vehicle and learn how to use it.