(Fremont County, WY) – After merging together over the weekend, the Pack Trail and Fish Creek Fires, now known simply as the Pack Trail Fire, currently sits at 58,065 acres as of Monday, October 7, according to the latest update from the U.S Forest Service Bridger-Teton National Forest.
There are currently 563 personnel on scene, and the fire is 60% confined.
Deputy Operations Section Chief Trainee, Allen Schultze with California Incident Management Team 10, gives an overview of the fire for today’s date in the following video.
The rest of Monday’s update is below.
Operations – Yesterday, on the west side of the fire, parallel to the Purdy Fire footprint, the fire continued to move south into Strawberry Basin. However, it remained east of Burnt Ridge, where westward winds pushed the fire back onto itself. Fire crews will continue scouting for natural features to help contain the fire’s spread, identifying structures that require protection, and contacting homeowners in the “set” evacuation zone. On the north side, small pockets of interior heat were located and suppressed by helicopter water drops and an engine crew. Meanwhile, road crews are continuing repairs on Flagstaff Road. On the east, the overnight high humidity and cooler temperatures helped calm the fire, which remains contained west of 540 Road. East of Highway 26, in the Pinnacles and Brooks Lake areas, firefighters will continue to lay hose lines, set up sprinklers, and fill portable water tanks near structures. In the south, fire crews are working to establish a connecting fuel break between 532 Road and Union Pass Road.
Safety – Drivers on US-26 may experience periods of smoke today due to high winds. Please use caution while driving, use headlights, and expect to encounter fire vehicles along the road. If planning travel on US-26 across the Continental Divide monitor WY-DOT for possible closures due to fire activity.
Teton Interagency Fire managers are maintaining the Very High Fire Danger Rating for Grand Teton National Park, the Bridger-Teton National Forest, and the National Elk Refuge. Due to excessively dry fuels, any spark can ignite fire which can spread rapidly, becoming a large fire and exhibit extreme fire intensity. Residents and visitors are urged to exercise extreme caution with fire or possible ignition sources. Please ensure campfires are dead out.
Weather – Last night the winds were calm, humidity rose to 85% and the temperature dropped below freezing. Today will be smoky due to the overnight inversion that allowed smoke to collect in the valleys. The temperature, in the mid 60s, will be similar to yesterday and wind from the west/northwest will pick up mid-morning at 15 MPH with gusts to 28 near the ridgetops.
Forest Closures – Closure Order #04-03-24-315 is in effect from October 7 at 12:00 p.m. through November 1, 2024 at 6:00 a.m. unless rescinded. This order supersedes previous orders, including #04-03-24-314, prohibiting the same or similar acts in the same described area.
Evacuations – The Upper Gros Ventre area (Goosewing and Elk Track Ranches) in Teton County have been put into a Level 2 “Set” Evacuation Warning. Evacuations and evacuation alerts for several subdivisions and ranches in Fremont County, WY remain in place. See the Fremont County Emergency Management Fackbook Page for alerts and updates. See the Teton County Emergency Management website updates and to sign up for emergency alerts through Everbridge.
Click here for all of County 10’s coverage of the Pack Trail/Fish Creek Fires.