On Sunday people sauntering through downtown Jackson became the gripped spectators of a wildfire scorching East Gros Ventre Butte. Labor Day weekend traffic clogged nearby streets as officials closed down parts of Broadway, the town’s main artery. The fire prompted evacuations for the Deer Drive condos, the Grand Designs building and Saddle Butte subdivision.
After firefighting efforts that included helicopters, single engine aircraft and hotshot crews, evacuations were lifted for Deer Drive and Grand Designs at 9:30 p.m. Sunday. However, people living in the Saddle Butte neighborhood are still unable to return to their homes, though no property has been damaged.
Kristen Waters, public information specialist for Teton County, provided KHOL with an update on the fire. Listen above for more.
Above: Thick smoke hovered over East Gros Ventre Butte Sunday afternoon as a wildfire scorched the ridge. Officials haven’t yet declared the fire’s cause. (Robyn Vincent)
