Shoshone National Forest

USDA Forest Service
Shoshone
National Forest
808 Meadow Lane
Cody, WY 82414
307-578-1200
307-527-6241

Telephone for the
Hearing Impaired
307-578-1294

Wildland Fire Management

Wildland Fire on the Shoshone National Forest is typified by mostly lightning ignited fires (70%). The Human caused fires(30%) are mostly abandoned campfires. All human caused fires are suppressed.

Tools

Management of fire in the wildland environment (versus developed) on the Shoshone is accomplished with a variety of tools at our disposal. Traditional resources inlcude:

• 5 fire engines (4 - Type VI and 1 Type IV)
• 3 handcrews (3-person)
• 1 Helicopter (Ft Washakie, Interagency Helicopter)
• Smokejumpers (West Yellowstone Jump Base)
• Air Tankers (Billings and West Yellowstone).

Given the remote nature of our wilderness, Pack strings of horses are often used to move firefighters and equipment to the fire as well as around it.

Safety

Firefighter and Public Safety is the number one priority for all fire management activities. The incident commander evaulates the situation and applies the appropriate tactics to the given situation. We refer to this as the "Appropriate Management Response".

Annual Fire Occurrence

The Shoshone National Forest averages 25 fires annually. With a large fire (greater than 1000 acres) every 3 years.

Drought

The recent drought has increased the number and size of fires. In 2003 the Shoshone experienced the greatest amount of fire in recorded history. 50 fire starts with 5 exceeding 1000 acres.