Crews Battling Fire In Grand Teton National Park

A forest fire was being battled Wednesday in Grand Teton National Park not far from the Cathedral Group turnout on the Teton Park Road.

Firefighters were trying Wednesday to get the upper hand on a fire that was spotted not far off the Teton Park Road in Grand Teton National Park.

The fire was reported Tuesday evening near the turnout for a view of the Cathedral Group. It was burning in a mixed conifer forest about a quarter mile north of the turnout and covered about a dozen acres, according to a park release.

The cause of the fire is unknown, and park officials are asking that anyone who may have been in the vicinity of an off-trail area called Boulder City and who can provide information about this fire call the Teton interagency fire-reporting line at 307.739.3630.

While the initial attack on the fire involved a fire engine and crew as well as a contract helicopter to dump water on the flames, on Wednesday a second engine crew was assigned to the fire along with a hand crew.

The Cathedral Group Fire is burning in an area flanked by a boulder ridge to its eastern side, a sagebrush meadow on the south, and a mixed lodgepole pine and subalpine fir forest to the north and west, park officials said. The fire lies just south of, and relatively close to, the Bearpaw Bay Fire of 2009.

No trails or backcountry campsites have been closed at this time; however the portage of boats from String Lake to Leigh Lake will be temporarily suspended for safety considerations; the Cathedral Group turnout was also closed.

The park's current fire danger rating is moderate. With the arrival of the fire season, area residents and visitors are requested to report any fire or smoke by calling 307.739.3630. For additional fire information, please visit www.tetonfires.com.