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Monday,
September 3, 2001
FIRE
DANGER is: EXTREME
Fire Restrictions remain in effect
|Clear
Creek Fire| |Iron Creek Fire|
Clear
Creek Fire - 100 acres in the Wilderness
east of lower Green River Lakes.
Trail & Area Closures are in effect
A new fire started at approximately 4:30 pm on Sunday,
September 2nd, in the Clear Creek drainage 1/4 mile southeast of Lower
Green River Lakes. This fire is burning in the Bridger Wilderness and
is presently at about 100 acres in size. Cause of this fire is still unknown
at this time.
The Green River Lakes campground, trailhead, and lodge
are not considered in eminent threat at this time, but this is being monitored
daily and evacuation actions may be taken if these areas are identified
as at risk.
A closure area has been put into effect on the north
side of Green River Lakes and the Clear Creek drainage area (including
Natural Bridge) to protect public safety. (See
map).
Closure
Area:
Highline Trail (CDT) #094: From Green River Trailhead to the junction
of Lakeside Trail #144
Clear Creek Trail #184: Entire trail closed
Slide Lake Trail #147: Entire trail closed
Note
that the Lakeside Trail #144 is open and provides an alternate
route for the Highline Trail (CDT) around lower Green River Lakes. Hikers
can still use the Continental Divide Trail system to bypass the south
and west sides of the closure area.
Currently
there are 10 Type I Hotshot firefighters and 6 local firefighters working
the Clear Creek fire. A Type I Crew and Type III helicopter have been
ordered and are expected to arrive today. A helibase is located out of
Kendall Guard Station. The location of the Fire Camp has not yet been
determined.
Visitors
to the Green River Lakes area can expect to see Forest Service vehicles
on the main road as they are working this fire and helicopters flying
overhead. The campground host at Green River Lakes can provide updated
information about the fire, and there may be personnel stationed at the
Highline Trailhead near the bridge on the Green River stopping hikers
and providing information about the closure area.
Management objectives for this fire are:
1. Provide for firefighter and public safety.
2. Hold the
fire inside the Bridger Wilderness.
Iron
Creek Fire
- 100 acres, Big Sandy area,
No closures or flight restrictions
The
Iron Creek fire continues to burn within the Bridger Wilderness and has
expanded to about 100 acres. The fire is located 2.5 miles north of Big
Sandy Campground. The majority of the fire is burning in sub-alpine forest.
The fire area, with  stunning
scenic vistas of the Wind River Range, consists of forest, alpine meadows,
and granite outcroppings. The area is still open to wilderness recreation
visitors.
Fire
Use Manager Dan O'Brien is managing this lighting-caused fire as a Wildland
Fire Use for Resource Benefit. This fire is being managed to accomplish
objectives outlined in the Bridger Wilderness Management Plan and the
Bridger Wilderness Fire Plan. The fire objective is to prevent the blaze
from spreading outside of the wilderness boundaries where it might endanger
the Big Sandy Campground, Big Sandy Lodge and Summer Homes in the area.
The fire is continuing to advance to the north and east, as desired.
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Earlier
Updates:
Friday,
August 31 update
Wednesday, August 29 update
Wednesday,
August 22 update
Tuesday,
August 21, noon update
Monday, August
20 7pm update
Monday, August
20 10am update
Sunday, August
19 update
Wednesday, August
8 update
Wednesday, August
1 update
Sunday,
July 29 update
Friday,
July 27 update
Wednesday,
July 25 update
Tuesday,
July 24 update
Monday,
July 16 update
Monday, July 9 update
Sunday, July 8 update
Saturday, July 7 update
Friday July 6, 2001
9 pm update
Friday, July 6, 2001
8 am update
Thursday, July 5, 2001
Closure
Map for
Clear Creek Fire
Iron
Creek Fire:
Click for
larger map
3-D
aerial photo map of Iron Creek Fire area in Fish Creek Park. (9/3/01)
click for
larger map
3-D
topo showing broader view of Big Sandy area, wilderness boundary, and
Iron Creek fire location. (8/31/01)
Maps
by Pinedale Online!
Campfires
are NOT allowed in dispersed camping areas such as the one shown in the
picture below.
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Resources currently on this fire are three fire crews and three helicopters.
The fire crews are  working
primarily to prevent flames from moving south and west and from moving
out of the wilderness boundary. Helicopters are taking water from Divide
Lake just east of the Fremont Trail for bucket drops on the fire. The
main helibase is in Irish Canyon, outside the wilderness area southeast
of Boulder. Several helicopter landing spots have been set up near the
fire.
Unlike suppression activities on most forest fires,
this fire is being managed to help remove the buildup of dead, rotting
trees on the ground and create a mosaic of vegetation that will ultimately
benefit wildlife and reduce future large fires that often sweep through
uniform aged forest. The forest in this area has a large build up of downed
trees,  snags
and ladder fuels that are high risk for fire.
Fire managers are making every effort to have minimum
impact on the ground during the course of managing this fire. Although
helicopters are being used to transport crews and do bucket drops to hold
the south and west fire boundaries, crews are trying to do so with wilderness
ethics in mind. Ground crews are practicing minimal impact camping. Horses
are packing in food supplies daily and packing out refuse. (While crews
are doing a great job of keeping a clean camp so bears aren't attracted
to their presence, apparently they didn't strategize for 8-year olds going
through a stack of firefighter lunches to locate cookies being unspoken
for.) Any cut trees are being modified so as not to show the scar of the
management activities. Very little fire line is being cut so as to avoid
scarring the land. The hope is to have almost no evidence of their presence
except for the natural fire scars.
So far, the public and visitors in the area have been
great and showing a very positive attitude towards the management efforts.
Pack horse groups, hikers and campers have been using the trail that runs
through the fire area to access Fish Creek Park and it has proven to be
a great opportunity for Forest Service officials to talk about the beneficial
effects of natural fires in desired areas.
Visitors are being advised not to use the Fish Creek
Park, Divide Lake and Fish Lake area if possible. (The Divide Lake mentioned
is the one two  miles
north of Big Sandy Campground, not in Scab Creek.) Although Fremont Trail
#093 has not been closed to traffic, visitors are cautioned that doesn't
mean there aren't risks since they are traveling through a fire area and
are in the wilderness, which has its own inherent risks and challenges.
There may be some delays on the trail during the day depending on the
fire activity.
Management objectives for this fire are:
1. Provide for firefighter, visitor and aviation safety, including firefighter
health and wellness.
2. Allow the fire to move north and east further into the Bridger Wilderness.
3. Keep the fire from moving west and southwest outside of the Bridger
Wilderness (the approved fire plan boundary).
4. Manage the fire using minimum impact suppression tactics, with minimum
disruption to wilderness visitors, wilderness and aquatic/riparian resources.
If
you plan to travel through the Big Sandy Fish Creek Park area and would
like more information, you can contact Wyn Meneff, Fire Information Office
at the Pinedale Ranger District, at 307-367-5720.
Other
Fires
Roosevelt Fire - Roosevelt Meadows, Greys River District, Contained
This
fire was declared contained as of 8 pm August 30th. Started Sunday, August
26th. Located one mile west of Roosevelt Meadows and four miles, northeast
of Deadman Mountain in Greys River District.
Boulder
Fire - 100% Contained, near Boulder Lake
Fire
crews are making regular patrols of the Boulder Fire to make sure it isn't
flaring up.
The
Green Knoll Fire near Wilson is 100% Contained and Controlled,
but is still putting up some smoke as it burns vegetation within the fire
perimeter. Crews are closely monitoring this fire which probably won't
be completely out until the snow flies. Another spot fire started approximately
400 yards west of the Green Knoll fire and was at 2 acres late yesterday.
Nine firefighters and one helicopter are working to suppress this small
fire.
The Bear
Cub Fire located on August 26th in the Teton Wilderness, is estimated
at thirty acres and is located six miles north of Brooks Lake and one
and one half miles east of Cub Creek and Cave Creek Trail intersection.
This fire has been successful in meeting resource management objectives
in the area and some personnel committed to this fire have been re-assigned
to other fires in the area.
The Falcon
Fire is still showing slow growth and was recently mapped at less
than 2800 acres. The fire has moved west of Falcon Creek but will eventually
run into previously burned areas from 1988. This fire is being managed
in cooperation with Yellowstone National Park. Six firefighters are staffed
at the Hawk's Rest and Thorofare Cabin Patrol Cabins for structural
protection.
See the
Teton Fires web site for the latest press releases, www.tetonfires.com
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