A lightning-sparked wildfire is uncontained and has burned more than 2,500 acres of heavy timber in the Bridger-Teton National Forest about 7 miles southwest of Togwotee Pass in northwest Wyoming.
The fire, dubbed the Fish Creek Fire, was started Friday and remains 0% contained as of Monday afternoon, the U.S. Forest Service reports.
It’s the least-contained of several wildland fires burning in the Bridger-Teton forest that are causing smoke to drift into the Bighorn Basin and portions of central Wyoming, according to the National Weather Service office in Riverton.
The Forest Service reports smoke from the fire may be visible from Grand Teton National Park, the Continental Divide Trail as well as Moran, Dubois, Jackson and Pinedale.
“Anywhere in the Wind River Basin, Bighorn Basin and Powder River Basin are probably going to be affected by the Fish Creek Fire at least over the next week or so,” Lance VanBoogart, meteorologist for the National Weather Service, told Cowboy State Daily. “A lot of that smoke is making its way into the center part of Wyoming over the north central part of the state.
“Here in the Wind River Basin, we did see some of that smoke particularly from the Fish Creek Fire.”
The fire grew for an estimated 1,700 acres overnight Sunday to about 2,500 on Monday, said Mary Cernicek, a spokeswoman for the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
“We have had a lot of growth overnight on the Fish Creek Fire,” she said. “It is now at 2,500 acres and we are bringing in a team of firefighters who will take over the supervision of this fire while we concentrate on the other smaller fires in the Forest.”
Emergency closures on roads leading to Fish Creek are being put into effect and will be open for emergency personnel only. The smoke has abated some, but Cernicek said that they will be keeping an eye on the weather.
“We continue to expect afternoon thunderstorms with some fires getting increased precipitation while others are, unfortunately, experiencing gusty winds,” Cernicek said.
Smoke Danger
The smoke will be the heaviest in the afternoon when the temperatures are at their warmest and the air is the driest.
“A lot of times it's during the afternoon that these fires burn (the most),” VanBoogart said. “They are burning actively and putting a lot of that smoke out. Then it kind of depends on the wind patterns in the evening on how that smoke will settle to the ground.
“For the foreseeable future, we would be expecting to see afternoon increases in smoke.”
The National Weather Service is working closely with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality to collaborate on air quality alerts and monitor the smoke danger.
“We're not too much in the prediction of the wildfires themselves, but we certainly do monitor the atmosphere,” VanBoogard said. “When the smoke does get thick to the level that it could be a health concern, we will transmit air quality alerts over the weather radio. Currently, we don't have any of those in effect. But that, you know, can change depending on how the smoke goes.”
The Forest Service has advised that the smoke from the Fish Creek Fire may impact U.S. Highway 26/287 and over Togwotee Pass. The agency recommends that motorists drive slowly and cautiously in the area with their headlights on.
The Wyoming Department of Transportation is working closely with the Forest Service to monitor the safety of motorists on the routes leading from Dubois. Smoke is visible although the fire is burning far enough away from the highway so as not to endanger the route itself.
“We are asking motorists to be aware of smoke and reduced visibility over Togowotee Pass,” said Cody Beers, WYDOT spokesperson. “The speed limit is 55 mph. Please do not stop alongside the highway, as reduced visibility can hamper highway safety.”
The Fish Creek Fire has burned more than 1,700 acres as of Monday afternoon and is 0% contained. It's burning in the Bridger-Teton Naitonal Forest about 7 miles southwest of Togwotee Pass. (U.S. Forest Service - Bridger-Tetpon National Forest) 
The Fish Creek Fire has burned more than 1,700 acres as of Monday afternoon and is 0% contained. It's burning in the Bridger-Teton Naitonal Forest about 7 miles southwest of Togwotee Pass. (WYDOT District 5 Northwest Wyoming) 
The Fish Creek Fire has burned more than 1,700 acres as of Monday afternoon and is 0% contained. It's burning in the Bridger-Teton Naitonal Forest about 7 miles southwest of Togwotee Pass. (U.S. Forest Service)
Fighting The Blaze
The Bridger-Teton National Forest has put out a statement that it is continuing efforts to suppress the 2,500-acre Fish Creek Fire and several smaller fires on the Forest.
These include 7 acres that have burned on Cottonwood Creek on the Jackson Ranger District since Saturday; the 780 acre Leeds Creek Fire on the Pinedale Ranger District, which is 70% contained; and the 153 acres that have burned on the Merna Butte Fire on the Big Piney Ranger District. The Merna Butte Fire is 50% contained and all pre-evacuation alerts in Sublette County have been lifted.
A Wyoming Type 3 incident management team has been activated to help fight the Fish Creek Fire. Additional resources deployed include a helicopter, helitack crew, six fire engines and medical personnel. Fire managers and crews continue to scout potential control line locations.
Fire danger rating for the Bridger-Teton National Forest remains high.
Jackie Dorothy can be reached at jackie@cowboystatedaily.com.
