Single Publication

Fire Location: 11 miles west of Wapiti, WY
Size: 1,896 acres
Containment: 43%
Personnel: 80
Start Date: 7/19/24
Cause: Lightning
Incident Commander (IC): Ron Steffens, Wyoming Type 3 Team

Operations
Firefighters continued cutting hazardous trees in the Elk Fork Campground yesterday — see related article here — and did some additional work in the Elk Fork drainage. Today, similar work will continue there while engines patrol the highway corridor, monitoring fire behavior and watching for any activity that could threaten the roadway. The fire’s southern perimeter may also be monitored by aerial resources.

With the fire less active in the interior and not posing an immediate threat to perimeter lines, some crews have been reassigned to other incidents with more active fire requiring direct suppression. This leaves an appropriate number of resources here for this fire and is a standard practice with the national fire workforce when numerous regions throughout the country are experiencing a high volume of fire activity. Currently,79 large active wildfires are being managed with full suppression strategies nationwide, and approximately 27,000 firefighters and support personnel are assigned to incidents. Click here to view an overview map of fire activity.

Due to heavy fuels in steep, inaccessible terrain, the Clearwater fire is likely to burn and smolder for some time in conifer forest, brush, and dead and down logs, even with cooler temperatures and precipitation.

Closures
Elk Fork Campground is closed indefinitely; Wapiti Campground and Clearwater Campground are closed until fire conditions allow otherwise. A road and trail closure are in effect at NFS Road #424, Elk Fork Road and NFS Trail # 760, Elk Fork Trail. Click here to view the closure order (#021404-24-03). For safety reasons, the public is asked to respect closed campgrounds and trails. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in effect until August 19, 2024.

Weather | Anticipated Fire Behavior
The forecast calls for moderated weather over the next few days, though gusty winds with thunderstorm outflows may allow for some growth along the perimeter.

Safety Information
The Shoshone National Forest implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions due to very dry conditions of fuels and continued hot, dry weather. Click here to view a copy of Stage 1 Fire Restrictions order (#02-14-04-24-04). 

Photo
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• The Clearwater Fire is burning and smoldering in steep, inaccessible terrain covered with timber and brush. This pattern is likely to continue for some time.