New fire starts in Absaroka-Beartooth wilderness

Crews snuff out wildfires outside Meeteetse, Dubois

Posted 7/22/21

A new fire started in the Absaroka-Beartooth wilderness of the Shoshone National Forest on Wednesday afternoon, marking the third blaze in as many days.

The lightning-ignited fire was estimated at …

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New fire starts in Absaroka-Beartooth wilderness

Crews snuff out wildfires outside Meeteetse, Dubois

Posted

A new fire started in the Absaroka-Beartooth wilderness of the Shoshone National Forest on Wednesday afternoon, marking the third blaze in as many days.

The lightning-ignited fire was estimated at only about a tenth of an acre on Wednesday, burning about a half-mile east of Willow Park and north of the Pilot Creek gravel pit. A helicopter and helitack from Yellowstone National Park plus Shoshone National Forest firefighters were on scene, with a large helicopter from the Crater Ridge Fire in the Bighorn National Forest assisting with water drops.

“We are grateful to have aerial support nearby that can quickly assist our ground resources in responding to yet another fire started by lightning,” said Shoshone National Forest Supervisor Lisa Timchak. “We anticipate this summer to be a long one for our firefighters and are thankful that our understanding public is helping keep human-caused fires to a minimum.”

All three of this week’s fires in the Shoshone were caused by passing storms.

One started west of Meeteetse on Monday afternoon, approximately a half-mile from the Timber Creek Ranger Station. Resources from Park County, the Bureau of Land Management and the Shoshone responded and “were able to quickly contain and control the fire,” forest officials said, limiting it to about 0.1 acres.

“While this fire was found to be caused by lightning, it is also a reminder that vegetation is very dry throughout the Shoshone National Forest,” said Acting Shoshone National Forest Fire Management Officer Clint Dawson. “Everyone who is spending time on public lands this summer should continue to do everything they can to lessen the chances of fires.”

Another small fire started north of Dubois late Tuesday evening. It, too, was quickly extinguished by personnel from the Shoshone and the Dubois Volunteer Fire Department.

“Responding firefighters hiked into the Tappan Creek area to find a single tree had been ignited by lightning,” said District Ranger Jeff von Kienast. “Their quick actions to contain the fire kept it from growing any larger in our dry conditions.”

Shoshone officials reminded the public that Stage 1 Fire Restrictions have been implemented across the entire forest. Visit www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd925776.pdf to learn more about the restrictions.

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