JACKSON, Wyo. — On Saturday, August 8, mountain bikers, campers, and hikers alike can resume use of areas on Phillips Ridge.
For public safety, the trails, roads, and campsites on Phillips Ridge were closed to allow contractors to cut trees and stack woody debris as part of a project to reduce fire hazards in the area.
The temporary closing of the road and trails in mid-July allowed the work to be done safely and quickly. The Phillips Ridge powerline road will remain closed as work continues in the area.
The thinning work is expected to change how fast and hot a fire would burn in that area if a fire ignited, and it should reduce the likelihood of fire spreading into the forest canopy.
“Benefits from fuels reduction includes removing dead and down vegetation, reducing small diameter trees which serve as ladder fuels that carry fire from the ground to the tree canopy, and increasing tree crown spacing by opening the tree canopy to limit potential fire spread by crown fire,” said Fire Management Officer Deb Flowers. “Through these efforts we create more fire adaptive communities and reduce the risk and cost of fire suppression during an unwanted fire within the wildland urban interface.”
