A wet spring does not mean fire danger is non-existant. Monday, June 23, the Bridger-Teton National Forest dispatched a fire engine to a small wildfire on the Pinedale Ranger District.
The fire burned approximately a quarter acre of grass and tree stumps near the Dutch Joe Guard Station. The Dutch Joe Guard Station is located 47-miles southeast of Pinedale.
“Federal officials on site were able to successfully scratch a perimeter line around the fire with shovels and hand tools to keep the fire from spreading until the engine could come and extinguish the blaze,” said Mary Cernicek, public affairs for the Bridger-Teton.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
“Just because there is a low fire danger doesn’t mean there is no fire danger,” said Fire Management Officer Rod Dykehouse.  “While some of the upper elevations of the forest are still under snow with swollen creeks, the vegetation is rapidly drying due to the recent spell of warm weather.”
According to Dykehouse, the Forest Service is looking at elevating the fire danger from l ow to moderate in the next several weeks.
“Visitors to the Forest can help prevent unwanted wildfires by thoroughly extinguishing their camp fires, and being responsible with ashes and cooking stoves,” said Cernicek.