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Firefighters to continue prescribed fire operations in Teton Canyon
Firefighters to continue prescribed fire operations in Teton Canyon
Canyon This project will reduce hazardous fuels and improve wildlife habitat
TETON VALLEY, Idaho, October 17, 2022 – Burning operations went well on Saturday, October 15. Close to 100 acres were treated in sagebrush and aspen stands. Ignition operations will resume Tuesday October 18 and continue into November as conditions allow. Ignitions will be performed using unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and heli-torch with numerous support crews on site. This project will improve wildlife habitat and manage forest vegetation. Updates will be posted to the Forest’s Facebook page at USFSCaribouTarghee.
A closure will be in effect for the Mill Creek trail #131 from the winter parking lot in Teton Canyon to the Grand Targhee resort boundary starting at 8AM on Tuesday for firefighter and public safety during the prescribed fire. The trail will reopen at 8AM Thursday, October 20. During active operations in Teton Canyon (Unit 2) firefighters may be along Ski Hill and Teton Canyon Roads and smoke will be visible. For the safety of our firefighters, we ask individuals heading up the canyon to use caution and drive slowly. Fire managers suggest choosing to recreate in a different drainage to reduce congestion. Short delays along Teton Canyon road may be possible.
Prescribed fire is generally implemented on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest during the spring, late summer, or fall seasons. If weather conditions do not allow for ignition, the Forest Service will continue to monitor for an extended clear weather pattern that will meet the combination of fuel moisture, temperature, wind, and smoke dispersal conditions necessary for a successful operation. During any season, weather and fuel conditions are the key elements needed to safely implement prescribed fire and meet project objectives. Fire managers plan to continue prescribed fire operations later this year as conditions allow.
These important projects could not be accomplished without the support from various partners including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust, Wyoming Game and Fish Department Habitat Trust, Idaho Department of Fish and Game and local public officials. For more information, or to learn about the benefits of prescribed fire and the role wildfire has in the ecosystem, contact the Teton Basin Ranger District Office at 208-354-2312.