Earlier today, we shared a post about current Wyoming fires. Check it out to see where they are located and how they impact you.
National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service & U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shared the following today:
Throughout the fire season, fire managers in western Wyoming review the need for additional staffing and consider management actions such as the need for fire restrictions. They evaluate long-term weather forecasts, fuel moisture at various elevations, recent trends in the number of natural and human-caused wildfire starts, available staffing to respond to fires and other emergencies, and the general amount of activity on public lands. All of these factors contribute to fire danger ratings and the need for fire restrictions.
The current forecast for western Wyoming is for cooler and wetter conditions this weekend. Based on this forecast, managers will reevaluate the need for restrictions following this predicted weather event.
Fire danger is currently rated high in most areas west of the continental divide in Wyoming, and is very high in the area encompassing the Wyoming and Salt River ranges. While fire restrictions are not in effect for most of western Wyoming, partial restrictions are in effect for Teton County.
Following a week of 90-degree temperatures, extremely low humidity, red flag warnings, and no rainfall, conditions are prime for wildfires. Patrollers continue to find campfires that have not been completely extinguished, meaning that people are still leaving fires unattended in these hot, dry, windy conditions.
Firefighters are successfully responding to a number of fires in western Wyoming. In the past week, 4 new human-caused wildfires required response in the Teton Interagency Dispatch area, including the Saddle Butte Fire near Jackson, Wyoming. While abandoned campfires are a common cause of wildfires, dragging tow chains and exploding targets have also drawn recent attention. Each fire requires an urgent response and ties up valuable resources, not to mention the cost of each incident.
In light of these dry conditions, it is more important than ever to make sure all fires are completely extinguished. If you choose to have a fire, never leave it unattended and keep it small. Have plenty of water and a shovel on hand, make sure it is in an area cleared of vegetation, and keep sparks from travelling in the wind. Take extra care with vehicles on dry grass, smoke in areas free of vegetation, and be aware of how your actions affect your surroundings.