airport fire

Buckrail- Saturday, two fires were ignited by lightning at Red Top Meadows and on Crystal Butte.

According to Mary Cernicek, Bridger-Teton National Forest public affairs officer, the fire on Red Top included four trees a total of 1/10 of an acre on the Bridger-Teton National Forest.

“Firefighters suppressed that fire last night and remain in that area today because of all the lightning strikes that the lightning map shows us occurred over the last 24-hours,” said Cernicek. “They are part of our Initial Attack response and are patrolling and ready to respond to any reports of smoke in the area.”

Another fire was started on Crystal Butte near Woods Canyon. The fire is on two spots, both 1/10 of an acre each.

“We have the Interagency helicopter working on this fire. It is dipping water from a location on the National Elk Refuge,” said Cernicek. “This fire is burning in very heavy dead and fallen timber. There are 6- firefighters suppressing this fire and directing the bucket work from the helicopter.”

“When the fire danger is ‘very high,’ fires will start easily from most causes,” Cernicek added. “The fires will spread rapidly and have a quick increase in intensity, right after ignition. Small fires can quickly become large fires and exhibit extreme fire intensity, such as long-distance spotting and fire whirls. These fires can be difficult to control and will often become much larger and longer-lasting fires.”

Grand Teton National Park officials confirmed that there was a sage brush fire Saturday night near the Jackson Hole Airport.

A rapid response from the Jackson Hole Airport fire resources made for quick containment of the lightning caused Airport Fire late Saturday, August 6. The fire quickly grew to almost an acre before apparatus from the airport, JH Fire/EMS and a Teton Interagency Fire engine extinguished the blaze. Conditions in the grass/sage are extremely dry and going fires can very quickly transition beyond the ability of engines to attack directly.

Saturday’s quick response was made possible by the daily coordination between local fire agencies and additional resources brought into the area to support initial attack under the current severe conditions. Multiple smoke reports, fire responses, and medical incidents were being managed across Teton County into the evening hours.
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