JACKSON HOLE, WYO — The North Zone of Teton Interagency Fire will start prescribed fire 2019 operations beginning as early as Friday, April 19, weather permitting. The only project for the spring will take place on the Bridger-Teton National Forest on the Jackson Ranger District, adjacent to the Trails End subdivision and west of Red Top Meadows subdivision.
The controlled fire vicinity is identified as a recommended treatment area within the 2017 Teton to Snake Fuels Reduction Project decision. Teton to Snake is an effort to reduce the risk from high-severity wildfire impacting the communities in the areas of Phillips Ridge, Fish Creek, Teton Village, Wilson and the Fall Creek corridor areas.
Fire staff anticipate treating up to 371 acres with controlled fire which will compliment additional fuels reduction tactics outside of the Wilderness Study Area, including mechanical and timber removal adjacent to the Red Top Meadows area identified in the project management plan.
Prescribed fire on the Trails End Road unit will reduce wildfire hazard and benefit ecological management to support both community safety and the wilderness integrity for the Palisades Wilderness Study Area.
“By introducing ‘good fire’ on the Forest and within the Teton to Snake area, we’re protecting our neighboring communities while restoring and allowing for an increased probability for land managers to responded to a natural fire start using tactics which are lighter on the land, allowing fire to contribute to the natural ecosystem process with the Palisades Wilderness Study Area,” said Andy Hall, Fuels Specialist for the Jackson District, of the Bridger Teton National Forest.
Prescribed fires (good fires) are managed under a set of parameters know as a “prescription” which include treatment objectives, temperature, wind speed and direction, relative humidity, current and expected forecast and fuel conditions, as well as available resources and time of season. Before burning, fire managers ensure that all the parameters are within their prescribed fire plan so the fire can be conducted safely and the objectives can be met. Firefighters will continue to work in the area several days after ignitions to patrol and manage for public safety.
Smoke from the Trails End prescribed fire operation will be normal and may continue for a few days after ignitions depending on the environmental conditions. Teton Interagency Fire is coordinating with Wyoming air quality and will monitor weather conditions closely prior to prescribe fire ignition.
The Teton Interagency Fire group coordinates closely with its partners (Teton Area Wildfire Protection coalition) and gives as much advance notice as possible before implementing burns and other fuels treatments on the ground, operations may be conducted on short notice. Fire prevention and information staff will post information and road signs around areas affected by fuels treatments.
