Bear Cub Fire Over 2000 Acres Now

Ten smoke jumpers and a Type 1 helicopter have responded to a fire that started on the northern end of Bridger-Teton National Forest Tuesday afternoon.  Spokesperson Mary Cernicek says the Bear Cub fire is located on the south fork of the  Buffalo River in the Teton Wilderness Area; just south of the Nowlin Fire of 2011.  She says the fire was first discovered about 3:00 pm, approximately 27-miles east of Moran in Fremont County.  By 10:00 pm, it had grown from an estimated 300 acres to 2000 acres. Cernicek says aerial surveillance reported it crowning in the heavy timber with a high potential for continued spreading.  The smoke jumpers immediately began digging fire line along the southwestern perimeter of the fire.  The community of DuBois was filled with smoke from the fire by Tuesday evening.  Cernicek says the fire is burning in heavy down and beetle-killed timber.  Bridger-Teton Forest officials have not imposed any closures at this time and no structures in the area.  While no official cause has been determined for the fire Cernicek says there has been lightning in that area during the past 48 hours.