JACKSON, Wyo. — Nearly 300 people are to contain the pair of wildfires burning tens of thousands of acres in the Jackson Ranger District of the Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF). BTNF provided updates on the Fish Creek Fire and the Pack Trail Fire on Wednesday, Oct. 2.
The newly expanded Pack Trail Fire is now estimated to be 18,774 acres in size, with a team of 214 personnel working on it. BTNF reports that it is 0% contained. A few miles north, the Fish Creek Fire is now 25,371 acres in size, with 85 personnel addressing it. The Fish Creek Fire is reported to be 95% contained.
A Red Flag Warning issued on Wednesday by the National Weather Service forecasts wind gusts of up to 40 mph. Similarly, BTNF’s update noted that “warm, dry and strong gusty winds could cause erratic fire behavior. Winds are expected to be out of the west-southwest, gusting 30-35 mph through the afternoon and decreasing after sunset.”
Fire personnel have been working on installing structure protection fixtures along the US26 corridor. Aerial resources were very active on Tuesday, according to BTNF, responding to hot spots and flare-ups where flames had crested the Lava Mountain ridgeline. On Wednesday, crews will focus on containment by “improving and holding established firelines.”
“The objectives are to keep the fire south of Highway 26, west of the 532 road and north of the South Fork of Fish Creek,” BTNF’s update reads. “Aerial resources will assist when wind and smoky conditions allow.”
Incident management team IMT3 Nevada Team 4 has reached the end of its rotation and will hand over the reins to CA Team 10 in the next 24 hours.
Previously announced evacuations and closures surrounding the fires remain in place. Track the Pack Trail Fire and the Fish Creek Fire on InciWeb. Check on local air quality using AirNow.Gov.
