Jim Creek Fire Update: 1,897 acres
Being allowed to burn for resource benefit
by Bridger-Teton National Forest
July 26, 2006
Jim Creek Fire Community Meeting on Thursday, July 27, at 3:00 PM at The Place. Forest Service and fire officials will give the latest information about the Jim Creek fire.
There are currently 98 fire personnel and two helicopters assigned to the Jim Creek Fire. The fire, which started about a month ago, is being allowed to burn for resource benefit where it won’t threaten private property, facilities or other developments.
"Aspen is a very fire dependent tree that is used by some 200 species of wildlife. It is estimated that approximately half of the aspen habitat across the West has been lost due to fire suppression over the past 100 years," said Jack de Golia, Public Information Officer for the Jim Creek Fire.
"Fire is a natural process with many benefits to the ecosystem and wildlife," said Nick Scribner, Pinedale Habitat Biologist for the Wyoming Game & Fish Department. "Prior to settlement, it is estimated that approximately 2-4% of the western landscape burned naturally each year."
The Jim Creek fire began on June 26 from lightning, 24 miles north of Pinedale, in the Bridger Wilderness. The fire is burning in an area where such natural fires are permissible, both in and out of the wilderness. The fire is located one drainage north of New Fork Lakes, and east of the Green River Lakes road near The Place Restaurant and Green River Guest Ranch. Homes in the Upper Green and Moose-Gypsum subdivisions are not considered in danger at this time.Smoke from the fire is plainly visible during times when the fire is very active, and can be seen as far away as Big Piney.
On Tuesday, humidity dropped significantly at the fire. Observers saw 6-8 foot flame lengths as the fire backed through a tangle of large fallen logs along with single-tree and group-tree torching. Some islands of unburned trees burned in the interior of the fire. North of Jim Creek there was mostly ground fire on Tuesday. One firefighter suffered a cut hand and was taken to Pinedale for stitches. Fire crews have been alerted to hazards at the fire including falling dead trees (snags), grizzly bears and a moose with a calf. Two helicopters worked the fire on Tuesday, dropping water from 120-gallon buckets. A helibase is set up at Kendall Guard Station and nearby a fire camp is set up.
The Zig Zag Hotshot crew from Oregon will leave the Jim Creek Fire on Wednesday and be replaced by the "Teton Crew Number 2". The Pinedale Regulars will patrol north of Jim Creek along a fire line completed on Tuesday. The Boise crew and the Teton Crew 2 will continue brushing out along Gypsum Creek Road. Each crew has 20 members.
Forecast: The forecast for Wednesday calls for little change in temperature but much drier. Winds will be favorable for fire crews, blowing 10 miles per hour first from the north then from the west. The winds could push the fire to the south and up the face of Kendall Mountain.
Closures: The Jim Creek drainage is closed starting at Forest Road 710.
For more information about the Jim Creek Fire call the Bridger-Teton National Forest Fire Information number at (307) 367-5713. More wildfire information is available for the Jim Creek fire on the web at: www.inciweb.org
Other Area Fires:
Three other wildfires are burning in western Wyoming.
Magpie Fire Burning in Yellowstone National Park, is currently at 805 acres and being allowed to burn for resource benefit. Magpie Fire
Little Venus (Shoshone National Forest) is at 27,502 acres, 30% contained. The fire is 30 miles west of Meeteetse and is burning in bug-killed spruce with heavy down fuels. Private land is currently threatened. Active fire behavior was reported. Little Venus Fire
Bomber Basin (Shoshone National Forest): 509 acres at an unknown percent contained. This fire is 15 miles south of Dubois and is burning in timber. Bomber Basin Fire Info
Idaho, Utah and Montana Fires:
Idaho has eight wild fires burning, three of which are being allowed to burn for resource benefit. These fires are all under 1500 acres in size, between 10%-80% contained. There are currently three large wild fires burning in Utah, each under 2,000 acres, and between 0-80% contained. Montana has four large wildfires burning, all but one under 500 acres in size. These fires are between 20% to 85% contained.
Related Links:
Jim Creek Fire
National Daily Fire News
Large Fire Map
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