Bearpaw Bay Fire
GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, WY
Wildfire

Started on or about
08/30/2009 (Evening)

Status as of
10/01/2009

Cause
Natural

Location
Between Bearpaw Bay and Spalding Bay on the south end of Jackson Lake. East of Leigh Lake (WY)

Acreage Treated
130 acres on Sept. 24, with strong winds over the weekend the fire grew to 1,500 acres by Sept. 27, 2250 on Sept. 25 and 2844 acres on Sept. 29, which is the last day the fire was mapped.

Resources Committed
One engine crew is patrolling Spalding Bay Road and monitoring the fire. Another crew hiked the Leigh Lake Trail to clean up snags and hazard trees.

Estimated Containment Date
unk

Park Status
Several closures are in still in place. All closures are online at www.tetonfires.com under current fire information

Updates on Fire
Resources finished rehabilitating the fire line and removing pumps and hoselays from the Bearpaw Bay Fire on Sept. 30. The fire did not receive measurable snowfall, but cooler weather and cloud cover have significantly slowed fire behavior.

Overview
The Bearpaw Bay Fire was ignited by lightning on Aug. 30 and detected on Sept. 2. The fire was burning mostly in the 1981 Mystic Isle Fire burn area until Sept. 25 when it began burning in mature lodgepole forest. A strong NNW wind on Friday, Sept. 25 pushed the fire toward Teton Park Road and the south shore of Spalding Bay. Fire resources, including helicopters, engines and handcrews, put in a fireline on the SE flank of the fire, tying the line into Spalding Bay from Spalding Bay Road and laid extensive hose lays on the south and SE flank to keep the fire on the north side of Teton Park Road and the west side of Spalding Bay. The fire is being managed for multiple objectives.

Last 24-hour Activity
There is still some smoke and occasional torching on the Bearpaw Bay Fire, but it has been interior or on the NW flank, which is surrounded by Jackson Lake. One engine is still patrolling the area, and some closures remain in place.

Strategy
Continue to monitor the fire until it is declared out.

Vegetation Affected
Lodgepole pine

Benefits of the Burn
The Bearpaw Bay Fire has cleaned up dead and down from the 1981 Mystic Isle Fire. It is burning in a lodgepole pine ecosystem that is fire dependent.

Values to be Protected
The fire is not currently threatening any developed areas.

Additional Information
Visit the Incident Website

Contact Information
Traci Weaver
Phone Number: 307-739-3692
traci_weaver@nps.gov