When firefighters arrived from all over the country on Saturday afternoon, they discovered the Willow Creek fire gaining momentum and spreading south to southeast across the Salt River Summit.
According to Willow Creek Fire Boss Trainee Kade Johnstone, the fire path served as a natural fire break.
“When we were driving up late in the afternoon, we saw the trajectory and it was going straight to Highway 89,” he told me. “Our primary goal was to hold that. “We sent troops in there.”
The stretch of highway on the summit, known to Star Valley residents as the South End, provided an opportunity for the firefighters.
“When you already have a 50-foot fuel break, naturally made, then holding it was a main priority,” he said of the U.S. 89 route.
He kept going: “We watched the fire to see what it was doing, to see where it was throwing spots.”
As the fire approached the road, windswept fist-sized embers began to blow across to the Smiths Fork area on the east side.
As this happened, the fire teams got out of their trucks, put on their packs, and chased each ember with Pulaskis.
“With it burning up to the highway, we kept an eye on it to make sure it didn’t spread. That was our top priority that day,” Johnstone explained. “We had guys watching the green side of Highway 89 to make sure the spots weren’t making a run.”
He went on, “All the embers thrown by the trees are the primary fuel out there. We make sure all the embers are extinguished, so we’re ready for the next day.”
Referring to Saturday’s work and the use of Highway 89, he concluded, “That day, the fire was picking up, torching, and running for the highway.” “We could fight it from the highway and put out the fire on our own terms.”
Sunday was dubbed the “turning point” day by Johnstone. “The next day, with the weather turning and the rain, it was a great turning point to fight the fire direct and put this thing to bed.”
According to Johnstone, the firefighting crews were grateful for the assistance provided by the Afton Fire Department and local residents who offered ATVs and numerous food donations.
