Bull Let It Burn Fire (WY)
Location: ~8 mi E of Hoback Jct, Teton Co. WY
Specific Location: ~1 mi N of Hwy 189-191, Gros Ventre Wilderness, Bridger-Teton NF, ~Lat 47° 24´ 31″ Lon 113° 19´ 00″
Date of Origin: 07/21/2010
Cause: Lightning
Situation as of 10/06/2010 6:00 pm
Personnel: 8
Size: 5,273 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Fire behavior has moderated but still is burning in timber in the lower Bull Creek drainage, the Rough Hollow drainage and the west side of the Little Granite drainage. The heavy dead and downed fuels on the fire are very dry and is the primary force driving the fire behavior. The area of closure encompasses the western side of the Little Granite Road, North along the ridgeline dividing the Boulder Creek and Little Granite Creek drainages, south along the Highline trail and south east along the Rough Hollow ridgeline. The Highline trail and Little Granite road remains open.
Fire management decisions balance concerns for the safety of the public and firefighters, the values threatened by the fire, forecasted weather, expected fire behavior, and long term plans and objectives for the area as described in our Land and Resource Management Plan. That may include wilderness values, forest health concerns, and long term sustainability of ecosystems that have evolved in the presence of periodic fire.
We may add firefighters and equipment to meet our objectives as fire activity increases, or scale back during quiet periods of the fire.
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Situation as of 10/03/2010 6:40 pm
Personnel: 11
Size: 4,978 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Continue holding the fire at the Little Granite Creek drainage, and monitor growth on the northeast and east. The one new injury reported was from a patroller on horseback was bucked off their horse while posting closure signs on 9/30 for area closure.
The fire became more active in the Rough Hollow drainage with the effects of up canyon winds out of the southeast. smoldering, creeping and isolated and group torching.
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Situation as of 09/11/2010 4:30 pm
Personnel: none
Size: 4,422 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
desired incineration footprint: 66,000 acres
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Situation as of 08/27/2010 7:15 pm
Personnel: 128
Size: 4,255 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Costs to Date: $1,705,382
Whoops. Turns out the fire did not just fade away quietly into the red tape archives. Fire expanded 700 acres. Crews have been recalled. Burnouts in progress. Another half a $million spent. Area closure still in effect.
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Situation as of 08/23/2010 7:00 pm
Personnel: 31
Size: 3,539 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
No more reports. Let It Burn and hide the information from the public.
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Situation as of 08/23/2010 7:00 pm
Personnel: 31
Size: 3,293 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Demobbed. Let It Burn.
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Situation as of 08/22/2010 7:45 pm
Personnel: 137
Size: 3,120 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Costs to Date: $1,104,000
Kniffy’s desired incineration area: 66,000 acres.
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Situation as of 08/21/2010 7:00 pm
Personnel: 138
Size: 3,047 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Costs to Date: $1,001,410
After a month of Let It Burn, this fire has passed the 3,000 acre and the $million dollar marks. Expensive burnout operations underway. Area closure to recreation. Trees torching in groups. All great “benefits” brought to you (at your expense) by the Bridger-Teton NF.
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Situation as of 08/20/2010 9:45 pm
Personnel: 108
Size: 2,800 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Costs to Date: $900,000
Fire up-sized again for unreported reasons. Active fire behavior with isolated and group torching. Began burnout operations to secure southern flank.
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Situation as of 08/11/2010 9:00 am
Personnel: 10
Size: 1,754 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Costs to Date: $750,000
Fire has downsized to a Type 4 organization with only the Kings Peak Fire Module monitoring for growth and increased activity and data collection for monitoring objectives.
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Situation as of 07/31/2010 9:00 pm
Personnel: 113
Size: 1,462 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Desired incineration area: 66,000 acres.
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Situation as of 07/28/2010 10:00 am
Personnel: 11
Size: 521 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
The Bull Fire was located and sized up at 3 acres on the afternoon of July 22. Without any NEPA process, ESA consultation, NHPA consultation, or legally required analysis or public involvement of any kind, Bridger-Teton National Forest Supervisor Kniffy Hamilton made the illegal and criminal decision to Let It Burn.
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Situation as of 07/25/2010 7:30 pm
Personnel: 0
Size: 680 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Let It Burn. That’s the great thing about wilderness designation. The government no longer bears any responsibility for holocausts. So what if the entire Gros Ventre Range is incinerated? Don’t blame the goobernment; they are self-incapacitated.
