Slide Fire
Photo taken Saturday, July 20, 2019. Photo by Bill Winney.
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Slide Fire burning in North Fork Fisherman Creek Area
by Bridger-Teton National Forest
July 20, 2019
Bondurant, Wyoming, July 20, 2019 – The Slide Fire was discovered on Friday, July 19, and is currently burning on the Bridger-Teton National Forest on the Big Piney Ranger District. Resources from Sublette County Unified Fire and Teton Interagency fire responded to the reported smoke which is located in a remote area near Bondurant, Wyoming in the North Fork Fisherman Creek area between Sour Moose and Slide Creek north of Rim Draw.
The fire burned actively through the night and grew a half acre in size and is now two and a half acres. The fire is burning in heavy dead and down timber. Fire behavior is moderate at this time with some single tree torching. This is an initial attack fire with a strategy of full suppression. Crews are currently working on constructing containment lines around the fire and aerial resources are doing bucket drops to knock down actively burning flame.
Resources on scene include 10 smokejumpers from West Yellowstone, MT, 4 Firefighters from the Pinedale and Big Piney Ranger Districts, 1 Sublette County firefighter, 3 Teton Interagency Helitack crewmembers, 1 Type III helicopter from Teton Interagency Fire, 1 Type 4 BTNF engine. Several additional resources are on order including 8 smokejumpers (Boise, ID), 1 Type I interagency hotshot crew (northern Utah), 1 Type I helicopter (northern Utah). These new resources are expected to arrive on the fire later today.
The cause of the fire is a lightning strike from a thunderstorm several days ago. Substantial rain fell in the area during the storm but with the hot, dry, and windy conditions this week, the fire activity picked up. These fires are commonly called ‘holdover’ fires.
Another fire was discovered on the Kemmerer Ranger District, the Middle Fork Fire in the Commissary Ridge area late Thursday, July 18. This fire was also a holdover approximately one acre in size. Firefighters expect containment later on today.
Fire prevention specialists would like this to be a reminder that the forest is drying out and people recreating in the wildlands need to be careful with fire and take extra precautions to completely extinguish campfires.
Firefighter and public safety is the number one priority with regard to this or any fire. There are no closure or evacuations in effect at this time. For more information visit www.tetonfires.com. To report a fire or smoke call the Teton Interagency Fire Dispatch Center at 307-739-3630.
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