Don’t stop to gawk at the wildfire

With two major routes in and out of Jackson Hole near major wildfires, wildland firefighting teams are cautioning drivers to travel carefully, slow down, and avoid stopping to gawk or take photos.

Both U.S. Route 189/191 from Hoback Junction to Bondurant, which crosses the Cliff Creek Fire area, and U.S. Route 26/287 from Togwotee Pass to Dubois, which travels in the vicinity of the Lava Mountain Fire, are open at this time.

“Highway 191 is open, but it’s really, really smoky, and people are driving like it’s the Indy 500 out there,” Cliff Creek Fire Incident Management Team Public Information Officer Julie Thomas said. “We ask people to drive carefully and to be aware there may be smoke, engines, firefighters and wildlife on the road.”

For the safety of firefighters and highway travelers, passing is not allowed in passing zones within the fire area, stopping is not allowed along the roadway, and parking is not allowed in pullouts within the fire area.