Single Publication

Pack Trail Daily Update October 14, 2024

Total Acres: 77,559

Confined: 62%

Total Personnel: 639        

Evacuations – Teton Country Emergency Management has announced that the Upper Gros Ventre area, east of Goosewing Ranch, will be placed under a Level 3 “GO” evacuation order at noon today.

Brooks Lake Lodge, Pinnacle Cabins, Falls Camp, and Long Creek have been reduced to a Level 2 “Set” Evacuation Warning. Level 3 “Go” evacuation orders remain in effect for Lava Mountain Lodge and McKenzie Highland Ranch. The Dunoir Road Corridor has been reduced to a Level 1 “Ready” Evacuation Warning. 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.

Operations – Today, warm, dry, and unstable conditions are expected to lead to increased fire activity. Yesterday, on the east side of the fire, ground crews conducted a firing operation west of Lava Mountain Lodge, taking advantage of favorable winds along 540 Road. On the south side, the Pack Trail Fire continued to move into areas around Cowboy Camp, Strawberry Warming Hut, and Fish Creek Guard Station. Fire behavior was spotted near the guard station, and firefighters used aircraft to suppress persistent activity while mopping up hotspots, patrolling, and refilling tanks for sprinkler systems set up for point protection. The fire remains confined north of Union Pass Road. On the west flank, firefighters are patrolling the Burnt Ridge area, using aircraft as the fire slowly creeps downhill. Structure protection crews continued wrapping buildings, laying hoses, and setting up sprinklers around any and all structures in the Gros Ventre valley. Overnight, on the south side, active fire behavior was observed near Buffalo Meadow, while on the west side, the fire showed moderate activity as it continued to creep downhill. Crews remain focused on patrolling for new smoke and fire growth.

Safety – Yesterday a Drone Incursion occurred over the fire area. Unauthorized flights within a temporary flight restriction are highly dangerous to firefighting aircraft and illegal. DO NOT fly drones in or around the fire airspace. 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, the Shoshone 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 conditions present the potential for moderate fire behavior. The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies, with temperatures ranging from the low to mid-60s. Winds will come from the west/northwest at 10 MPH, with gusts reaching up to 16 MPH. Relative humidity will be between 19% and 24%. 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 DuNoir on the Wind River District (SHO).

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

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