Single Publication

Northern Rockies Team 1, Incident Commander Brent Olson

Location:  7 miles SW of Togwotee Pass

Start Date: Friday, August 16, 2024

Cause: Lightning

Size: 12,978 acres

Percent complete:  44%

Resources: 490 Total Personnel: 8 Hand Crews; 20 Engines; 1 Dozer; 12 Heavy Equipment; 5 Helicopters 

KEY MESSAGES:

Completion has now increased to 44 percent on the fire. Percent complete refers to the degree to which the confine/point protection strategic actions have been accomplished. Confine is a wildfire response strategy of restricting a wildfire to a defined area, primarily using natural barriers that are expected to restrict the spread of the wildfire under the prevailing and forecasted weather. Point protection tactics include the installation of pumps, sprinkler systems, vegetative fuels reduction, and other actions to protect values-at-risk. 

On wildfire assignments Incident Management Teams are typically tasked with the initial attack on new wildfires within a designated area around the fire and to provide support to other wildfires as requested. Yesterday, two heavy helicopters and one hotshot crew was loaned to the Jackson Ranger District to suppress a new fire start near Jackson. While the fire wasn’t within the Fish Creek Fire’s designated response area, it demonstrates the high priority placed on suppressing new fire starts and keeping those fires small.

CURRENT STATUS:

Yesterday, conditions were favorable for aerial firing operations on the east side of the fire area to remove a pocket of unburned fuel and prevent the fire from spotting across the 2007 Hardscrabble fire scar. The indirect control line located from Highway 26 south to Pilot Knob and the Moccasin Basin Trailhead was utilized as planned as a holding feature during firing operations. On the northeast side some unburnt islands have burned together aided by hand firing operations as needed. Crews and equipment continued to work on widening and improving the shaded fuels break along Deception Road south of the Brooks Lake Lodge.  On the fire’s northwest side south of Hwy 26 and alongside of Flagstaff Road, firefighters utilized heavy equipment to continue construction of a shaded fuel break to assist with point protection of Togwotee Lodge. Structure protection crews reviewed plans and tested equipment in the Brooks, Pinnacle and Breccia areas. Due to the colder temperatures at night, the structure protection pumps, hose, and equipment need to be checked and tested every morning to ensure functionality when needed. Structure Protection resources also started assessing protection needs farther east of the fire along the Highway 26 corridor.

Today, the work to construct and improve indirect control lines will continue along the Deception and Flagstaff Roads as part of the confine/point protection strategy employed to protect the identified values at risk. Crews will patrol and monitor the areas where firing operations were completed. Structure protection crews will test hose lays to make sure they are ready when needed and continue assessments of the values at risk in additional areas along the Highway 26 corridor.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR: 

It will be warm and dry again today with a return to a more south to southwesterly wind this afternoon. Humidity will again drop to around or below 15 percent.  The smoke mixing height will be high today which means that there will be less smoke impacts at ground level.

Persistent fire behavior will continue into today. There will be a change back to southerly winds after the gusty east winds experienced overnight. There will be isolated fire activity in timbered areas with heavy fuels. Fuel conditions and weather exist today to promote fire behavior with low to moderate rates of spread, torching and downwind spotting up to three tenths of a mile. Significant growth is only anticipated in areas where there is alignment of wind, slope and continuous burnable fuels. Fire behavior will increase after the inversion lifts around 10:00 a.m., peaking around 6:00 p.m. and then moderating after dark. 

AIR QUALITY AND SMOKE:

Air quality and smoke conditions and forecasts can be found at https://www.airnow.gov/.

CLOSURES AND EVACUATIONS:

A joint Closure Order for the fire area has been issued by the Bridger-Teton and Shoshone National Forests for public and firefighter safety. Please do not enter the closure area or use the Forest Roads that are closed.

The Fish Creek Area, Roads, and Trails Closure Order (map) has been established for public and firefighter safety in the fire area. Full details can also be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/btnf/alerts-notices.

Fremont County: Brooks Lake, Pinnacle Drive and Breccia Drive area remain in the Level 2 Evacuation notice. A Level 2 Evacuation means “Be Set” to evacuate. You must prepare to leave at a moment’s notice. This level indicates there is significant danger to your area, and residents should either voluntarily relocate to a shelter or with family/friends outside of the affected area, or if choosing to remain, to be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice. See the alert notice on the Fremont County Fire Protection District Facebook page. 

Teton County: The Teton County Division of Emergency Management utilizes a Ready, Set, Go www.tetoncountywy.gov/1846/Ready-Set-GO system for evacuation messaging. All residents should be in the Ready status by preparing for evacuations and becoming fire adapted.

US HWY 26/287 continues to experience smoke and sometimes limited visibility. Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) is working closely with Fremont County Emergency Management and fire officials for the safety of motorists and firefighters. Drivers are encouraged to visit https://www.wyoroad.info/ prior to traveling on US HWY 26/287 for road status and information, or download the Wyoming 511 app at https://www.wyoroad.info/511/WY511Mobile.html to monitor for any changes due to fire activity.

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) has been established over the fire area. This allows for firefighting aircraft to safely work over the fire area. Federal, state, and local wildland fire management agencies and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) urge members of the public not to fly “Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)” or drones over the Fish Creek Fire. Unauthorized drone flights pose serious risks to firefighter and public safety and the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations. If you fly, WE CAN’T!