Pack Trail Fire active even as cold-front looms
PINEDALE — Before the sun breached the horizon, hundreds of firefighters filed from their camp to their assignments on the 86,555 acre Pack Trail Fire burning in the Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National forests in Fremont and Sublette counties.
There were 613 personnel fighting the fire and working to protect the nearby homes, buildings, ranches and acreage as of Wednesday morning.
“In 20 years of firefighting, I’ve never seen anything quite as wild as this one. The amount of fire activity on the Pack Trail for October in Wyoming is pretty unprecedented,” said Travis Chamberlain, a firefighter from Pinedale assigned to the lighting-caused Pack Trail Fire. “We’re seeing torching, spotting and flanking, with established columns from this fire as early as 9 a.m.”
The Pack Trail Fire, which started Sept. 15 and merged with the Fish Creek Fire, is burning in remote, rugged terrain that is difficult to access.
Dry, shifting winds have fueled the fire in every direction over the last several weeks, prompting evacuations and closures.
The fire has consumed heavy fuels: dead-standing Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir trees and downed timber as it burns along old scars from the Purdy Fire and Lava Fire, along the western flank near Bacon Creek and down Burnt Ridge in the Gros Ventre River Basin.
Firefighters patrolling the Burnt Ridge area are also using aircraft to slow the fire’s advance into the valley.
Earlier this week, the fire was particularly active in the areas around Cowboy Camp, the Strawberry Warming Hut and the Fish Creek guard Station.
Wednesday showed potential for active fire behavior with pre-frontal winds gusting to 30 mph and an unstable air mass; however, firefighters anticipated on Wednesday that an impending cold front, rain and even some potential snowfall would help reduce fire behavior.
“I hope the snow they’re forecasting shows up,” Chamberlain said, “We need it. This fire doesn’t want to stop.”
Structure protection of subdivisions along Union Pass Road, Highway 26 and near the Gros Ventre River were among the priorities for firefighters this week. Working in 12 hour shifts, firefighters are using techniques like controlled burns ignited strategically with drip torches; moving dirt and clearing vegetation to establish fire lines; laying hose lines and installing sprinkler systems near structures; creating humidity barriers and wrapping structures with protective aluminized wrap similar to the shelters they carry.
As of Oct. 16, the Union Pass Road is closed on the Pinedale District (BTNF) from Mosquito Lake to the DuNoir on the Wind River District (SHO).
Evacuation orders for 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.
Drifting smoke continues to impact air quality in Sublette County.
As of press time Wednesday, the Pack Trail Fire was at 62% containment.
This story was published on October 17, 2024.