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Lightning starts fire in Grand Teton National Park MOOSE, Wyo. (AP) - A lightning-caused fire in Grand Teton National Park is being allowed to burn, officials said Friday. A thunderstorm with "considerable lightning" is being blamed for the fire that was burning near Snake River. Officials said a bolt struck a cottonwood tree within 1/2 mile of the Glacier View Turnout on Thursday, and the fire spread to nearby spruce trees. Light smoke was visible from the popular overlook and from passing float trips. Most of Friday, the fire smoldered, but at times it torched the tops of conifer trees during the heat of the afternoon. Designated the "View Fire," it involves large fuels only since adjacent grasses are too green to sustain fire, officials said. Len Dems, the park's fire manager, said the decision not to suppress the fire will result in significant resource benefits. Riverside cottonwood trees are no longer disturbed by natural forces like floods, are becoming over mature and being invaded by spruce trees, he said. The area along the river has a history of numerous fires that usually remain very small in the cooler, moister river environment, said Dems. The fire is to be monitored daily and the management plan will be adjusted if necessary, he said. Copyright 1999 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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