Make our newscast part of your daily listening routine. Subscribe on Spotify (or wherever you listen to podcasts).
Teton County and Wyoming are at less risk of “significant” wildfire this summer.
That’s compared to much of the Northwest United States, according to National Interagency Fire Center forecasts. The group forecasts significant wildfire potential for sections of northeast Wyoming come August, but not in the northwest, which has cooler average temperatures and more snowpack at higher elevations.
But the region is far from in the clear, with forecasts for June and July that are hotter and drier than average, according to Liz Davey, who works on fire preparation and resiliency with the Greater Yellowstone Fire Action Network.
This summer, she’s helping Jackson Hole Fire/EMS who’s hosting events on wildfire preparedness.
“Are they ready for that notice to potentially evacuate?” she said. “Walking people through those steps, what should they have, what should they do, how should they be prepared for that?”
She wants to help people avoid the sometimes “unfortunately funny stories.”
“A friend of mine was evacuating and all he did was grab a bunch of socks. Okay, what are you gonna do with all these socks?” Davey said.
Outside this summers events, local government has taken bigger-picture steps.
In March, Teton County commissioners and Jackson town councilors approved a new, nearly 200-page plan that mitigates risk and better prepares homes against wildfire. Last year, evacuations were issued in Teton and Fremont Counties due to the lightning-started Pack Trail Fire which burned nearly 100 thousand acres. Crews with the Bridger-Teton National Forest began restoration work on the burnt land this month.
In Teton County, fire danger was stepped up from low to moderate on June 17. As of mid-June, much of the Rocky Mountain West, including Teton County, is experiencing at least some levels of drought.
Wyoming’s first big, lightning-caused wildfire near Pinedale began June 13 and has burned about 900 acres.
