Dollar Lake Fire Meeting Scheduled in Cora as Crews Tackle New Blaze

Two big wildfires continue to chew through parts of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, but incident managers say they’ve mostly held steady in size over the past 24 hours.

The Dollar Lake Fire remains the larger concern, now at 15,282 acres and 25% contained — a slight bump from yesterday’s numbers. To keep locals up to date, fire officials are hosting a community meeting in Cora on Wednesday, Sept. 3, from 6–7 p.m. at The Place Bar and Grill on Highway 352. Can’t make it? The meeting will also stream live on the BTNF Facebook page.

Crews have been focused on the southeastern flank, using firing operations to clear out dead and downed timber that could fuel the flames. Those efforts are aimed at protecting places like Red Cliff Bible Camp and Kendall Valley. Work has also continued around Little Sheep Mountain, while firefighters keep busy chasing down fresh flare-ups inside the main fire zone.

The Willow Creek Fire, meanwhile, sits at 4,066 acres and 40% contained. Crews are pushing directly on the eastern and southern edges, setting up along the fire line to dig handline and mop up hot spots. Helicopters are backing them up, dropping water on stubborn heat to keep the fire from gaining ground.

On top of those battles, BTNF reported a brand-new fire on Tuesday — the Seven Lakes Fire, a small 0.1-acre blaze in the Union Pass area, northeast of the Dollar Lake Fire. A helitack crew, smokejumpers, and aircraft are all on it. The cause is still under investigation. Officials say smoke may be visible, but they’re asking folks not to call it in.

Teton Interagency Fire listed three additional active blazes:

• Surveyor Fire (Pinedale, discovered Sept. 1): 0.1 acre, human-caused, now contained.
• Strawberry Fire (Greys River District, discovered Aug. 25): 0.1 acre, lightning-caused, still active.
• Burnt Creek Fire (Blackrock District, discovered Aug. 22): 20 acres, cause under investigation, considered controlled.

With hot, dry conditions sticking around, fire officials are urging caution. Evacuation orders, closures, and restrictions all remain in place.

The original story by Marianne Zumberge for Buckrail.