SVI Media’s Dan Dockstader is at the top of the Salt Pass (South End) as firefighters work to keep the fast moving Willow Creek Fire from jumping Highway 89. Dan Dockstader gave two two live report on Swift 98 and The Spur on the fire’s activity and what he is seeing from the firefighter’s efforts. The first report was from the top of the pass during firefighting efforts at roughly 8:00 p.m. The second report is inside the SVI Radio studio at roughly 9:30 p.m. after the fire had begun to calm down for the night.

Additional updates will be provided as they are available. More pictures and details with the latest information can be found on SVInews.com be clicking here.

(0:00) The fire has just barely crossed the road. (0:03) All of you are familiar with the very top of the pass. (0:06) There’s a big turnout there.
(0:07) It’s loaded with firefighters and water trucks (0:10) and all of that. (0:10) Some of them just dispersed out. (0:12) Because as the fire came over the ridge, (0:14) if you think towards the west, as it came over the ridge, (0:18) it started spotting across the road.
(0:20) And the crews from Flaming Gorge and from Colorado, (0:24) they just immediately dispersed. (0:26) I mean, it was like they had a plan, they jumped out, (0:28) and they went after those hotspots (0:30) on the east side of the road. (0:32) And they’re working on those now so they can slow it down.
(0:35) Right now, it’s burning right up to the edge of the pass, (0:38) the Salt River Pass. (0:39) Those of you familiar, you come up the top of the pass, (0:42) big turnout there. (0:43) It is burning everything to the west of that.
(0:46) In fact, I just walked over and got a couple of pictures. (0:48) As you drop off the pass, if you’re (0:50) headed towards Coquille, all of that down in there, (0:53) that rolling country off to your right, (0:54) if you’re bound towards Coquille, (0:56) that is all burning and on fire. (0:58) All the big stuff on the west side of the pass (1:02) is burned and torched big time.
(1:04) And it seems to be moving in that direction. (1:07) And I should credit our Assam Fire Department, (1:10) they’re up here too. (1:11) They’re chasing the hotspots as well (1:13) and joining the Forest Service crews.
(1:16) Wow, it’s amazing. (1:16) So you mentioned starting to spot over the road (1:20) onto the east side, as you mentioned, (1:22) at the top of the South Pass, Salt Pass. (1:24) Right.
(1:25) Are they up to this point? (1:27) Big embers kind of just float up out of nowhere. (1:30) And also, what’s really a side note that’s interesting, (1:32) these small tornadoes whip up in the middle of the fire, (1:36) just whipping and throwing out more embers. (1:39) And some of those have floated across the road.
(1:41) Some of them have actually landed around all of us (1:44) here at the top of the pass. (1:46) Up to this point, from what you can tell, (1:48) does it seem like the firefighters chasing (1:51) those hotspots on the east side? (1:53) Can you tell if they’re keep staying on top of it? (1:56) Yeah, it appears that they’ve got them. (1:58) It was interesting how they, (2:00) as soon as they got word that it was over, (2:03) somebody hauled a hotspot on the east side (2:05) and let those guys bailed out of their trucks, packs on, (2:08) all of them headed out in different directions (2:10) and just they’re combing all that countryside (2:13) that’s just east of the Salt River Pass right now.
(2:16) And it appears that they’ve got everything, (2:18) but it’s still a long night. (2:20) Impressed with these guys. (2:21) They’re just on it.
(2:22) They just, they know what they’re doing (2:24) and they’re well-trained. (2:25) It’s 7.55 right now on a Saturday night. (2:28) Dan Dockstader on the south end of Star Valley (2:31) on site with the firefighters and reporting live (2:34) from the Willow Creek fire this evening.
(2:37) And Dan, I was up there myself (2:39) about four o’clock this afternoon (2:41) and talked to one of the rangers (2:43) that was helping coordinate things and work the fire. (2:45) And at that point, they felt like it was gonna die down (2:49) and they were gonna keep it away from the road, (2:50) but it must have really picked up (2:52) in the last couple of hours. (2:53) Did the firefighters said anything about it (2:55) just exploding in the last couple of hours? (2:58) No, but that kind of happened towards along (3:01) about 5.30, six o’clock, some big winds came up.
(3:04) I chose to not, well, I’ll just wander out. (3:07) I was doing some things at the office. (3:08) I’ll wander out, check in with everybody (3:10) and one stop led to another.
(3:12) And pretty soon I was on top of the pass (3:14) with everybody and watching their good work. (3:18) And probably the highlight of the evening came (3:20) when one of those big jet cargo planes came in here. (3:24) He circled once and everybody said, (3:27) the better find a place.
(3:28) And I understand why now he circled around, (3:31) went out back out over the Smith’s fork, (3:32) came back in, followed the highway in (3:35) and he dropped a full retardant run (3:37) just on the East side of US Highway 89 (3:40) all the way up through there to stop the fire (3:42) from advancing across the highway. (3:45) And I was a part of that retardant drop. (3:48) So I want a new camera.
(3:51) Well, I think you’ve earned it. (3:53) After everything you’re going through right now, (3:55) I think you’ve earned it. (3:56) Dan Dockstader on scene right now.
(3:58) We’re live with him on top of the Salt Pass (4:00) as the Willow Creek fire continues to burn. (4:02) Dan, anything else you’d like to share with us (4:04) with the highway closed again right now over the South end? (4:07) No, they’ve been turning people back. (4:09) Some people have come up from towards the Coquille side.
(4:12) Obviously they didn’t have somebody down there right away (4:14) and they got turned around, (4:15) including a great big truck full of brand new cars. (4:18) They’ve made a spot for him to get turned around (4:20) and go back down. (4:20) They didn’t want anybody up by this fire.
(4:23) They were just making sure that everybody’s closed out. (4:26) The pass is closed in both directions (4:27) and they’re on it now. (4:29) And just as the sunset comes, (4:30) it seems to be just a little quieter.
(4:33) That’s just my observation. (4:34) A little bit quieter. (4:35) We got burning going on at the very top (4:37) of the Salt River Pass.
(4:39) And it’s now advanced down in. (4:41) If you, again, if I said, (4:42) if you’re heading down to Coquille (4:43) and you look off to your right, (4:45) down into that rolling country, it’s burning all of that. (4:47) It’s kind of down where the old road is, (4:49) for those who are familiar with this area.
(4:51) Stan Dockstader live in the South end right now. (4:54) Dan, stay safe and we’ll likely touch base (4:57) in a little bit. (4:59) Thank you.
(5:00) It’s live on SBI Radio, SWIFT 98 and The Spur. (5:03) And again, you can find the latest updates (5:04) with some pretty incredible pictures online. (5:07) You can see those at sbinews.com (5:09) and on the SBI News app as the Willow Creek Fire, (5:12) which began to be visible yesterday morning (5:15) as it started as just a little 10 acre fire (5:18) has now exploded and forced the closure (5:21) of the Salt Pass south of Star Valley.
(5:23) As of right now, all of the campgrounds (5:26) in the area have been evacuated. (5:27) Those happened last night. (5:29) Roads are closed and everything up there (5:31) on top of the South Pass.
(5:32) No homes or structures are being threatened right now. (5:36) The fire continues to burn towards the south (5:39) and away from Smoot and away from Star Valley. (5:42) And so as far as homes go in the Star Valley area, (5:46) nothing being threatened right now.
(5:47) The fire continues to burn to the south. (5:48) Firefighters hoping it does lay down a little bit tonight (5:51) with the cooler temperatures and wind dying down. (5:53) We’ll check back in with Dan if we’re able to (5:55) and get the latest.
(5:57) And again, south end is closed both directions right now. (6:00) No estimated reopening time. (6:02) We’ll give you the latest details.
(6:03) Follow us online at sbinews.com. (6:05) Got some great pictures and video of the fire (6:07) and how things look right now on top of the Salt Pass. (6:10) It’s all part of the SBI Radio network.

(0:00) With the Swift Creek fire burning south of Star Valley in the South End area Dan (0:04) Dockstader was up at the top of the South End earlier this evening he’s made it (0:09) out safely. Dan first off glad you’re back on the valley floor but give us a (0:14) report what’s the latest that you saw before you left the South End. Well (0:17) things things seem to kind of be winding down on the Willow Creek fire up on the (0:21) South End but folks the South End that you know and love with all of its beauty (0:26) everything on the on the west side is burned.
It came up over the it was kind (0:34) of coming up slow around four or five o’clock and then it really started to (0:38) kick up and it started to consume the timber and work all of that and then they (0:41) at that point they the firefighters were all lined up along the highway they (0:46) closed the highway down and they were all lined up watching for hot spots for (0:51) it to come across the highway that they were using the highway as their break (0:54) that it wasn’t going to go past that point and some of it got past but the (0:58) hot shot crews jumped right on it and put it out on the east side of the (1:02) highway and they tried to hold it back and keep it steady on the on the west (1:06) side of the highway and that’s as I just left a few minutes ago from the South (1:10) End that’s that’s what was the remnants of that was burning the (1:14) firefighters are all kind of lined out there along the guardrails that you see (1:18) up and down the highway on both sides of the South End sitting there through the (1:21) night they brought some pizza up to them and their job is to kind of make (1:25) sure that everything just settles down it’s interesting how that when the (1:28) temperature changes and it gets dark everything just kind of settles down on (1:31) a fire so they’re watching it now but they’re keeping an eye out for hot spots (1:35) jumping over to the east side of the fire and it appears as I came off the (1:38) South End tonight of course the road is closed but people were lined up all the (1:43) way down in towards Smoot waiting for that opportunity to go over the South End (1:48) tonight I don’t know that that’s going to happen but there were a lot there was a (1:50) lot of cars backed backed up on the sides of the road people out in the (1:55) dark I made a little cautious driving through there because they’re out (1:58) besides their cars beside their cars and and just waiting for the road to open (2:04) some some of them thinking they’ll just wait it out for the night I don’t know (2:07) that that’s wise we’ll see but right now they’re not going to send the traffic up (2:11) over with all those firefighters lined up along the guardrails and watching for (2:14) the hot spots so they don’t go east now we just heard a few moments ago from (2:19) Lincoln County Emergency Management that the Bridge of Teton National Forest (2:22) has asked for an evacuation of everything south of Gomes Pond south of (2:28) Smoot so anything along Highway 89 a number of residents there they’re (2:32) asking for those to be evacuated it’s what we’re being told the Afton (2:36) Readiness Center is being set up as an evacuation facility for those who who (2:40) need to leave and we’ll continue to get updates on that but I saw some (2:43) four-wheelers and people up and what appeared to be brighter lights than (2:46) normal going up to the homes up in there so that’s maybe what they were (2:49) doing was contacting all the homes and telling them to pull out for the night (2:54) we’ll keep you posted on that as we get anything and of course the latest (2:57) details pictures videos all at SVI news.com and on the SVI news app but from (3:02) from what you can tell Dan everything as far as the fire itself starting to (3:06) settle down but everything along the west side of the South Pass is changed (3:11) for a long folks that view that you’ve you grew up with that you lived with for (3:15) all these years that’s a that’s beautiful country up in there it’s (3:18) going to be changed when daylight comes and you get a chance to go up over the (3:22) top it’ll be a different it’ll be a different South End than what we’ve (3:25) known. We need to get you a new shirt and hat looks like Dan. Yeah yeah I got I got (3:29) my retardant drop picture after 40 years in the business I could hear him talking (3:34) about a retardant drop and they they said you want to find a safe place and (3:38) all the firefighters find a safe place and I thought no I want that photo so in (3:44) came this big jet and with the big kind of look like an old 727 circled (3:49) around and take a look you could tell he was looking the situation over and his (3:53) job was to drop a retardant line on the east side of US Highway 89 as it came (3:58) over the pass and he did a good job he circled out and then he came down in (4:01) hard and low and he dropped retardant all along that area the red bright red (4:07) retardant and he dropped a line line all the way on the east side to help stop (4:12) the fire from moving to the east.
Wow again details pictures the latest we’ll (4:17) have at svinews.com that evacuation order per Lincoln County Emergency (4:20) Management for those south of Goms Pond in Smoot. It’s SVI Radio on Swift 98 and (4:27) the Spur.