Community Meeting Planned as Willow Creek Fire Holds, Dollar Lake Blaze Still Active

Two major wildfires burning around Jackson are still keeping crews busy, though a recent dose of rain helped slow things down, according to Thursday’s update from Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Locals will have a chance to hear directly from fire managers about the Willow Creek Fire at a community meeting set for 7 p.m. Friday at the Afton Civic Center (150 Washington Street). The meeting will also be livestreamed on the BTNF Facebook page for those who can’t attend in person.

The blaze, burning southwest of Smoot, is holding at 4,356 acres and is now 17% contained. Firefighters have been shoring up the eastern edge with control lines, clearing brush, and even setting up a portable water reservoir—nicknamed a “pumpkin”—that can feed a sprinkler system if needed. Crews also scouted the fire’s north and south ends to assess threats to structures and took extra steps to protect Allred Flats Campground. Work has also begun on the western side of the fire.

Officials warn that as thunderstorms move out, smoke may become more visible and fire activity could pick back up.

Further north, the Dollar Lake Fire has stayed at 13,449 acres and 10% containment. Crews have been focusing on the northern and western flanks, tying new containment lines into nearby roads and meadows.

Firefighters are also working hard to protect Red Cliff Bible Camp, which has been in the path of the flames. Crews are using bulldozers, hand lines, and even the camp’s zipline tower as a lookout point.

While aircraft were grounded Wednesday due to weather, they could be back in the air soon. Resources assigned to the fire include multiple helicopters, three scoopers, and a National Guard medevac chopper.

The forecast remains tricky: scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected through the weekend, but less rain is likely, meaning lower humidity, gusty winds, and lightning could still stir up trouble.

The Dollar Lake Fire—first reported on August 21—is expected to burn for weeks, with containment not projected until mid-October. It forced early evacuations, including at Red Cliff Bible Camp, and Governor Mark Gordon has already declared an emergency to unlock state and federal firefighting resources.

The Willow Creek Fire, meanwhile, started on August 22 and continues to burn in heavy timber. Recent rains have given crews a window to dig in, but conditions could shift quickly.

Across Wyoming, other fires—like the massive Red Canyon Fire near Thermopolis and the Sleeper Ranch Fire near Meeteetse—have scorched tens of thousands of acres. Some, like the Taylor Draw and Vees fires, are already mostly wrapped up.

Governor Gordon summed it up in a recent statement: wildfires remain “a significant threat to lives and property,” and state resources will stay on the front lines.

Buckrail and Green River Star contributed to this report.