Fire Restrictions Remain In County

Teton Interagency Fire Officials last week lifted the burning restrictions for the first time since June on National Forest and National Park lands.  However, there appears to be confusion on the parts of some in the community about those restrictions still being in effect for the rest of the county.  Jackson Hole Fire Chief Willy Watsabaugh emphasizes that open burning in the county will just have to wait until we get some precipitation.  Watsabaugh says the area needs some sort of season-ending event like a few days of rain or a decent snowstorm  — something to lessen the ability of the fine fuels in the area for carrying fire.  Until that time, he says the area will be in partial restriction. Watsabaugh says until the area sees some significant precipitation, it is still in a very volatile situation for the spread of fire through the grasses and fine fuels, and he urges residents to comply with the restrictions.