Editor’s note: The original version of this article stated that the information came from the Teton County Health Department, but has been updated to reflect that it came from Teton County, Wyoming.
JACKSON, Wyo. — According to Teton County, Teton County is 84% more likely to experience wildfire than any other communities in the U.S.
The Wildfire Risk to Communities, created by the USDA Forest Service, states wildfire risk is based on risk to homes, community exposure and wildfire likelihood, in addition to consideration of vulnerable populations. Teton County is rated as “high” for risk to homes, wildfire likelihood and vulnerable populations, with “very high” risk of exposure.
According to Teton County, many community survey respondents overestimated the defensible space of their home. Professional data estimates only 40% of Teton County homes are enough distance from vegetation, and only 14% of homes are enough distance from other combustibles like propane tanks and woodpiles. Teton County recommends all community members get their homes wildfire ready.
In terms of exposure, Teton County reports the Teton County community is predominately exposed to wildfire from indirect sources, like from embers and home-to-home ignition.
The Wyoming Wildfire Risk Assessment shows most of the area in and around Jackson Hole is projected to experience medium to normal wildfire risk, but some pockets of high risk in the Teton National Forest and up near Yellowstone National Park exist.
Teton County is home to potentially vulnerable populations who may experience difficulty preparing for and responding to wildfire. Teton County has committed to addressing equitable risk reduction strategies throughout the course of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan revision process, which the public is invited to participate in next week.
Bobbi Clauson, Teton County wildland fire prevention specialist, notes the workshops will be interactive discussions where community members can create a dialogue about what’s important and answer questions from engineering contractors.
“We can workshop where people want us to prioritize,” Clauson says.
