Lightning ignites “Tincup” fire in Caribou Mountains

The Caribou Targhee National Forest is fighting a fire about 30 miles northeast of Soda Springs, near the Grays Lake Wildlife Refuge Headquarters.

The lightning-caused “Tincup” fire was estimated at about 7 acres, but was active and burning dead and down fuels. It is slowly spreading towards the northeast, away from private property, but burning in rugged terrain within the Caribou Mountain Range. It started was discovered on July 30.

A fire behavior analyst and fire managers believe there is minimal risk if Tincup is allowed to play a natural role in the ecosystem. Management will focus on preventing any spread toward private lands or public land infrastructure. In this case, those include US Highway 34 near Bridge Creek and a power line corridor.

On the Bridger-Teton National Forest, a new lightning-caused wildfire, dubbed “Flat Creek”, is burning south of Sheep Mountain and east of the Flat Creek Ranch in the Gros Ventre Wilderness. The fire was located Monday after being spotted by a member of the public.

It currently measures one-tenth of an acre and smoldering and creeping in an isolated pocket of subalpine fir and spruce trees.