Two small wildfires burning near Wyoming Idaho border

Firefighting teams with Caribou-Targhee National Forest are monitoring two smaller wild fires near the Idaho Wyoming border.

The Big Elk Fire was detected Tuesday evening north of Palisades reservoir. The fire is only 2 acres at this time. Crews are not currently working on the fire because of the difficult terrain surrounding the fire and because a number of natural fire barriers in the area will help prevent its spread.

Teams are staged at Swan Valley to move in and stop the fire if necessary. Crews will be setting up a webcam on a ridge near the fire to monitor it constantly and helicopters will be standing by to dumb water on the area as necessary. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

A second fire is burning on the Idaho Wyoming border 9 miles west of Freedom, Wyoming. The Lanes Creek Fire is currently 116 acres and is growing slightly each day. Crews are monitoring the fire with a webcam constantly and have completed work to prevent further spread of the fire. The Lanes Creek Fire was started by a lightning strike on June 30th.