Brooks Lake Lodge braces for wildfire
JACKSON (WNE) — Firefighting crews worked Thursday to prep the century-old, high-alpine Brooks Lake Lodge and protect it in light of expectations that the Fish Creek Fire would sweep through the area soon.
A crew from Teton Valley, Idaho, set up sprinklers, cut down trees and weed-whacked fine fuels like grasses around the lodge, guest cabins and employee housing to deter flames.
“The firefighters will stay if they can,” said Mike Maltaverne, fire chief for Teton County, Idaho, Fire Rescue.
But if they can’t, he explained Thursday, “hopefully the work they’ve done to prep those structures makes them able to withstand the fire on their own.”
The 9,461-acre Fish Creek Fire burning in the Bridger-Teton National Forest is heading straight for the historic lakeside lodge, where everyone has been evacuated. While guests were already gone, 30 staff, 36 horses and five dogs all left by 12:30 p.m. Thursday, according to General Manager Matthew Tousignant.
Jackson Hole Fire/EMS also had firefighters working on the Fish Creek Fire, which was caused by lightning and first discovered August 16.
On Thursday evening, a helicopter pulling water from lakes was making bucket drops on the fire near the highway. Multiple air and ground resources are assigned to the fire, with more national resources on the way, including a “Complex Incident Management Team.”
At 5:26 p.m. Thursday the Wyoming Department of Transportation closed Highway 26/287 east of Grand Teton National Park, but reopened the road just after 7 a.m. Friday.
Officials advise caution and turning headlights on while driving on the highway over the pass, which continues to experience heavy smoke and limited visibility. Motorists can check the current status of the road at WyoRoad.info.
This story was published on August 23, 2024.