Single Publication

Pack Trail Daily Update October 11, 2024

Total Acres: 68,956     Confined: 64%

Total Personnel: 571 

Operations – Today, due to near – red flag conditions, there will be significant fire behavior.  Yesterday, the Pack Trail Fire continued backing into the area of Cowboy Camp, Strawberry Warming Hut and Fish Creek Guard Station near Union Pass Road where firefighters continue to clean up hotspots, patrol and refill tanks for the sprinklers. Crews continue to address hotspots and monitor the fire, which is holding north of Union Pass Road. On the west flank, firefighters continue to patrol the Burnt Ridge area, where fire continues to slowly creep downhill. Structure crews continue to wrap buildings, install hose lays and sprinklers at Elk Track Ranch and in the Gros Ventre area. On the east side, there was active fire behavior overnight and is expected to continue today. Crews are conducting structure protection in the Highway 26 corridor. Yesterday, crews worked in the Union Pass Subdivision to reduce hazardous fuels around homes. On the north side, there was no new fire activity, but some heat remains in the interior and smoke may be visible. Crews continue to patrol the area checking for new smoke and growth.

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. Always build your campfires away from dry grass, leaves, and overhanging branches to reduce the risk of spreading wildfire. Clear at least a 10-foot perimeter around your fire, removing any flammable material, and make sure your fire is dead out and cool to touch before you go to sleep, or leave the area. 

Weather – Today’s weather and unstable atmosphere brings potential for significant fire behavior. Today will be sunny with temperatures in the mid 60s. The wind will be from the West/Southwest at 12-16 MPH with gusts up to 27. Relative humidity is18-23%. To learn more about air quality, visit Fire.AirNow.Gov. 

Road Closures – The Union Pass Road is closed on the Pinedale District (BTNF) from Mosquito Lake to the Moon Lake Road on the Wind River District (SHO).

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 Facebook Page for alerts and updates. See the Teton County Emergency Management website updates and to sign up for emergency alerts through Everbridge.

Forest Closures - Closure Order #04-03-24-316 is in effect from October 9, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. through November 1, 2024 at 6:00 a.m. unless rescinded. This order supersedes previous orders, including #04-03-24-315, prohibiting the same or similar acts in the same described area. 

For more information, visit: Facebook: USDA Forest Service - Bridger-Teton National Forest, USDA Forest Service - Shoshone National Forest  Pack Trail Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/wybtf-pack-trail-fire