Firefighters to initiate prescribed fire operations in Teton Canyon
TETON VALLEY, Idaho (KIFI) - Firefighters will continue prescribed fire operations this fall in Teton Canyon.
This project will improve wildlife habitat and manage forest vegetation. Ignition operations will start Saturday, Oct. 15 and continue into November as conditions allow. Updates will be posted to the Forest’s Facebook page.
During active operations in Teton Canyon (Units 1 and 2), firefighters may be along Ski Hill and Teton Canyon Roads and smoke will be visible. For the safety of our firefighters, officials ask individuals heading up the canyon to use caution and drive slowly. Short delays may be possible.
Fire managers treated portions of these units in 2021 and earlier this spring and have selected this timeframe to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and sunny, dry conditions to finish the remainder of these two units.
Prescribed fire is generally implemented on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest during the spring, late summer, or fall seasons. If weather conditions do not allow for ignition, the Forest Service will continue to monitor for an extended clear weather pattern that will meet the combination of fuel moisture, temperature, wind, and smoke dispersal conditions necessary for a successful operation. During any season, weather and fuel conditions are the key elements needed to safely implement prescribed fire and meet project objectives. Fire managers plan to continue prescribed fire operations later this year as conditions allow.
These important projects could not be accomplished without the support from various partners including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust, Wyoming Game and Fish Department Habitat Trust, Idaho Department of Fish and Game and local public officials.
For more information, or to learn about the benefits of prescribed fire and the role wildfire has in the ecosystem, contact the Teton Basin Ranger District Office at 208-354-2312.
