Crews work to mop up Saddle Butte Fire
UPDATE 9/4/19 3:08 p.m.: The evacuation is lifted for residents in the Saddle Butte Subdivision, but firefighters remain on the butte as they continue ‘mop up’ the Saddle Butte Fire.
Mop up is when firefighters extinguish or remove burning or burned material near the control lines. Crews often need to take down trees, move rocks, spray water and stir burn areas to put out hot spots.
“Mopping up is slow and tedious work,” said Incident Commander Battalion Chief Mike Moyer. “Crews have been working throughout the burn area, sweeping the area for hot spots and working to mitigate them.”
The mop up of the Saddle Butte Fire may continue for several more days.
The Saddle Butte Fire started on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. when Mylar balloons became tangled in a power line. The fire burned 255 acres. It is 100 percent contained and all evacuations have been lifted.
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UPDATE 4:45 p.m. Evacuation of the Saddle Butte subdivision has been lifted, as of 8 p.m. Tuesday. That is when residents will be allowed to return to their homes.
The road is private and only local traffic will be permitted on it.
Teton County Emergency Managers are advising residents not to line up before 8 p.m. They are working to protect firefighters’ ability to complete necessary work today. Traffic jams could delay re-entry into Saddle Butte.
Some areas may be burned over. Emergency managers have posted information to give residents an idea of what to expect. You can view that HERE.
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ORIGINAL:
Teton County, Wyoming authorities say there has been no new growth on the Saddle Butte fire near Jackson since Monday.
The fire is estimated at 255 acres and was about 60% contained Tuesday morning.
Approximately 100 personnel are assigned to the fire, and they are concentrating on mop-up operations. Those include searching for extinguishing any hot spots within the fire perimeter.
An evacuation order remains in effect for the 30 homes located in the Saddle Butte subdivision. The Spring Creek Ranch, Spring Creek Resort, Amangani Resort, and Pine Siskin Road areas are still in “ready” position.
Investigators determined Monday a bundle of Mylar balloons became entangled in power lines and caused an electrical arc. Flaming materials fell to the ground and ignited dried grasses below the power lines and poles early Sunday afternoon.
