JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Sufficient winter weather conditions exist to allow fire personnel on the Bridger-Teton National Forest to begin annual slash pile burning. During the summer months, crews have been stacking downed timber and brush into 10-foot-high tepee-like piles waiting for ideal conditions to burn them. Pile burning could begin as early as this week and last into November 2021.
“Pile burning is highly weather dependent,” said assistant fire management officer Josh Erickson for the Bridger-Teton National Forest. “As areas come into favorable weather conditions, specialists will hand ignite piles. This process relies on coordination with the National Weather Service and Air quality regulators to determine the best possible weather conditions that promote smoke dispersal and limit smoke impacts to local and regional communities.”
Piles are typically a result of fuels reduction projects on the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Pile burning removes undesirable fuels for long-term public safety and is an important part of the USDA Forest Service fire/fuels annual program of work.
Forest users and the public should be aware of and expect to see smoke throughout the upcoming months. Piles may be burned near communities, travel routes, and popular recreation areas. Please use caution when accessing these areas. The Forest may temporarily restrict access to an area while burning operations are underway to allow firefighters to work most efficiently. The burning of highly visible piles will be re-advertised on the Forest website and social media closer to the date of ignition and questions should be directed to local Forest Service offices.
Pile Locations across the Forest include:
Greys River Ranger District
• Lost creek east of Thayne, including dispersed debris piles throughout the main Greys River drainage.
Kemmerer Ranger District
• Big Park, and J-Park, around to Kelly guard station
Jackson Ranger District
• Phillips Ridge- off of Hwy 22 to Fish Creek. The Forest anticipates shutting the Philips Ridge gate on the evening of 10/26/2021
• Cottonwood Work Center off of Fall Creek Road
• Bryan Flats Guard Station south of Hoback Junction
• Gros Ventre area – fence post piles
Blackrock Ranger District
• Blackrock Administrative site in Moran
“We take advantage of significant moisture, usually snow, cooler weather and shorter burning periods this time of year to burn slash piles from important urban interface projects.” Erickson said. “Cutting and piling of fuels, helps moderate fuel conditions from potential wildfires and burning of these fuels during this time of year allows firefighters to utilize abundant moisture as a natural suppression resource. As conditions dry out, periodically in the fall, pile burns may smolder in needle duff and firefighters will monitor completed pile burn areas to ensure that all elements remain in prescription.”
