Lightning Fires Keep Coming

Fire crews Tuesday were able to control a fire near Emma/Matilda Lake on the northern end of Grand Teton National Park, but new fires continue to show up elsewhere in the park.  Park Fire Education and Information Specialist Traci Weaver says a small fire about a quarter mile north of Whitegrass Ranch was reported by park visitors Tuesday afternoon, and by the time crews reached it, the visitors had it pretty well controlled.  Firefighters reported the visitors had formed a sort of bucket-brigade and kept the fire in about a three-foot radius.  That fire was believed to be lightning caused.  Firefighters responded to another lightning-sparked fire about a half-mile east of the Oxbow Bend Overlook and about a third of a mile south of the road.  Like most of the previous fires, this one (named the Buffalo Fire) is also considered lightning-caused.  Weaver says a lot of lightning strikes came out of storms that passed through that area in the past 48 hours.  She says those storms tracked through between Colter Bay and North of Moran.  She says it is really important now for visitors to keep their eyes out for any smoke because the park and forest have a limited number of people who can be out looking. So far, she says these fires have been kept to minimal size because the expediency of their reports being turned in.