Large Forest Fire Burns South of Jackson, WY

A large plume of smoke from the Roosevelt Fire was visible south of Jackson Monday evening. Max Ritter photo.

A 5,000-acre fire is burning just south of Jackson, WY in the Upper Hoback area. The Roosevelt Fire, which likely started early Saturday, is burning in heavily forested land and was reported by hunters in the area Saturday afternoon. The cause is unknown.

According to the Jackson Hole News and Guide, two men were injured in the fire after being forced to retreat into a creek. They were transferred to a hospital in Salt Lake City to be treated for burns.

As of Tuesday morning, The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation notice for residents of Rolling Thunder and Jim Bridger Estates. They are asked to leave immediately. Cliff Creek, Upper Hoback and North Beaver roads are closed.

Teton Interagency Fire's Closure map.

A large plume of smoke was visible in an otherwise cloudless sky on Monday afternoon, and smoke could be seen drifting over the valley by Tuesday morning.

Bridger Teton National Forest reported Red Flag conditions for high winds and low humidity on Saturday, and those conditions are expected to continue for coming days. Local fire services are monitoring the blaze, but are not actively trying to suppress it, rather letting it play a natural role on the landscape.

A small fire was reported inside Grand Teton National Park on Saturday, about a mile west of Leigh Lake. Crews were monitoring the fire by ground and air, but combating it proves challenging thanks to its remote location. A park statement said, “priority is firefighter and public safety.” Three campsites in the area were evacuated as a precautionary measure.