The zeal for hunting that some Wyoming sportsmen and women have burns as strong as a wildland fire.

So as fire and hunting seasons converge in the region, fire managers are asking hunters to stay away from active burns and recently burned areas.

“I know it’s a hindrance to occupy these lands during hunting season,” said James Millar, incident commander of the Nevada-based firefighting team currently leading the response to the 13,500-acre Dollar Lake Fire burning north of Pinedale. “But it helps us out a lot if hunters stay out of the area and give us room to suppress the fire.”

Smaller fires currently burning in Teton County, including the 27-acre Rim Trail Fire on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and the 20-acre Burnt Creek Fire in the Teton Wilderness should also be avoided, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS Deputy Chief Brian Coe said.

The beginning of hunting season is a concern for fire managers because of the increased activity in the backcountry and the potential for human-caused fires from “warming fires” used by hunters in the early morning.

“We’re trying to prevent human-caused fires so we can concentrate on other fires that are burning,” Coe said.

Hunters going into the backcountry this fall should be aware of fire restrictions in place, active fires and recent fires in their hunt areas. Under fire restrictions currently in place in Bridger-Teton and Caribou-Targhee forests, warming fires outside of fire rings in designated campgrounds are not permitted.

Hunters and backcountry enthusiasts should avoid fresh burn scars because of the potential for flash floods, landslides and hazard trees, Coe said. Visitation can also interfere with fire agencies’ post-burn mitigation activities, such as actions taken to prevent soil erosion.

“Leave it be for at least a season before coming back to those areas to enjoy recreation or hunting,” Coe said.

There are no changes to the elk and deer hunting seasons set to open on Sept. 1 in most of the areas surrounding Jackson, said Raegin Akhtar, a spokesperson for the Jackson Wyoming Game and Fish office.

Though hunting seasons remain open, the department advises hunters to comply with closures put in place by the Forest Service, Akhtar said.