Eastern Edge of Fool Creek Fire Continued to Hold
Incident: Fool Creek Wildland Fire Used for Resource Benefit
Released: 8/20/2007
Although the Fool Creek fire burned actively again early Sunday afternoon, the easternmost edge of the fire was continuing to hold, said John Pierson, the operations section chief for the Fool Creek fire. He flew over the fire from 11:30 to 1:30 Sunday. At that time, the fire had not gotten any closer to the ranches, homes, and dude ranches along the forest boundary.
The fire was burning most actively in:
·· The vicinity of Clack Mountain and Angle Point on the western edge of the fire.
·· Switchback Creek north of Gooseberry Cabin and in Gateway Gorge on the northern edge of the fire.
·· In the headwaters of the West Fork of the Teton River near Bull Creek.
The fire began burning actively as it was backing downhill southeast of the ski area Sunday afternoon. Firefighters working at the Teton Pass Ski Area went to safer areas because of erratic winds and predicted active fire behavior.
Firefighters have improved an old road from the snowmobile parking lot along the Teton River road to keep the fire from crossing the North Fork of the Teton River there.
Two dozers and two road graders extended a dozer line that has been constructed east of the forest boundary. That line will be used only if the fire burns beyond the forest boundary some time in the future.
The dozer line now extends about 12 miles from the Blackleaf (also known as the Teton) Cutacross road near Antelope Butte across the state Blackleaf Wildlife Management Area and private lands to the Middle Fork of Dupuyer Creek. Two engines and two dozers will be improving the line Monday.
Firefighters helped volunteer firefighters and residents of a Hutterite colony put out a fire that started northwest of Bynum Reservoir after Sunday afternoon's thunderstorm.
Monday, firefighters will continue working to keep the Fool Creek fire from burning across the Teton River Road to the south and will be reassessing the situation near the Teton Pass Ski Area, Pierson said.
