Huge Wyoming Wildfires Can Still Be Dangerous, Firefighters Warn

Despite last week’s blast of winter that cooled down the Elk and Pack Trail fires that have burned a combined 185,000 acres in northern Wyoming, firefighters are warning people not to jump the gun and think the fires are safe.

The rain and snow last week were crucial in getting control of both volatile fires.

However, “this precipitation was not a fire season-ending event,” reports Great Basin Team 5, the incident management team in charge of the 89,627-acre Pack Trail Fire.

The same is true for the Elk Fire, which is now 96,360 acres and 51% contained, reports Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1.

Even so, “there’s still work to do, and we are here to see it to completion,” the team reported Tuesday. “Long-duration wildfires can take a mental toll on local communities as well.”

Since it was started by lightning Sept. 27, the Elk Fire had been breaking the rules of wildfires, longtime wildland firefighters have said. While most fires burn downhill, this one burned uphill across the eastern face of the Bighorn Mountains. Most fires are most active during the day, while this one was nocturnal.

Most of all, both the Elk and Pack Trail fires have burned long past what’s normal for Wyoming’s fire season.

There are still more than 1,100 firefighters and support personnel working the fires, and both incident teams report the roller coaster weather expected the rest of the month will help and hinder their efforts.

About That Weather

Beginning Sunday and continuing through Tuesday, warmer weather — and increased winds — have helped melt some of the snow that fell and dry out the fuels. Then a few days of colder, wetter weather will swoop in to cool the fires off again.

That pattern could help keep a lid on how hot the fires burn, but also make accessing all the areas to put out hot spots difficult or impossible because of mud, the teams have said.

“The cloud cover expected today will minimize fire activity,” Team 1 reported Tuesday. “However, firefighters are aware that flareups could be seen where the expected winds align with fuels and topography.”

On the Pack Trail Fire, which is reporting 64% completion west of Dubois in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, the fire danger rating remains “very high,” the Great Basin team reports.

“Due to wind, fuels will begin to rapidly dry out when the snow melts,” the report says. “Any spark can ignite fire, which can grow rapidly into a major incident.”

No Evacuations

The lone person left evacuated from either of the fires has been allowed to go home. As of Saturday, the only area still in a mandatory “go” status was near the mouth of Tongue River Canyon southwest of Dayton in the Elk Fire.

That encompassed one resident, the Sheridan County sheriff had said.

Now the Elk Fire evacuation map shows that area also has been cleared for the resident to return.

Team 1 also reports that it’s going to pull its base camp of operations back from Dayton to Sheridan.

Contact Greg Johnson at greg@cowboystatedaily.com

Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.