Two huge late-season wildfires that had been threatening communities in northern Wyoming for weeks are under control, which means U.S. Forest Service crews are now busy starting fires on purpose.
In the Bridger-Teton National Forest where the Pack Trail Fire has burned 90,000 acres, crews have the stubborn fire 95% confined at last report. Now the focus is catching up on prescribed burns in the area, the agency reports.
“How quickly we go from suppressing fire to lighting fire here in the Forest Service,” the Bridger-Teton National Forest reported Thursday. “With colder temperatures and snow on the ground, there’s little chance of a fire escaping, and Forest Service crews are now burning slash piles of logs and limbs all across the Bridger-Teton National Forest.”
Prescribed burns like those now underway are important because they “reduce fuel in the forest and the chance of a devastating wildfire down the road,” the report says.
Those activities had to be suspended before winter weather set in because fire conditions in the forest were just too dry and volatile to burn anything, along with the focused attention on fighting and gaining control of the Pack Trail Fire.
Anyone who sees plumes of smoke coming from the forest is likely seeing those controlled burns, specifically in the La Barge and Pinedale areas, according to the USFS.
As for the Pack Trail Fire itself, there are still more than 90 people working on it as of the last report.
“The fire is in a patrol and monitor status as interior smoke and heat are still present,” the report says. “Winter weather and increased fuel moistures should continue to reduce any threats of continuing fire activity.”
Now that the Pack Trail Fire is 95% confined, crews are busy doing controlled burns in Bridger-Teton National Forest in northwest Wyoming. (U.S. Forest Service-Bridger-Teton National Forest) 
A hand crew works to repair ground along a burn line on the Elk Fire. (U.S. Forest Service-Bighorn National Forest) 
A view from a drone shows the work crews have done to make Red Grade Road a break in case of wildfire. When the Elk Fire was quickly advancing south along the east face of the Bighorns, the road was improved to make it a stopping point. It never got there, but came close. (U.S. Forest Service-Bighorn National Forest) 
Now that the Pack Trail Fire is 95% confined, crews are busy doing controlled burns in Bridger-Teton National Forest in northwest Wyoming. (U.S. Forest Service-Bridger-Teton National Forest)
What About The Elk Fire?
The situation on the Elk Fire that has burned more than 98,000 acres across the eastern face of the Bighorn Mountains is even better.
More than six seeks after it blew up overnight and threatened the rural communities of Dayton and Parkman, the Elk Fire is now 97% contained, the U.S. Forest Service-Bighorn National Forest reports.
Work there continues to focus on repair and cleaning up from fighting the fire, along with finishing fire mitigation work, particularly on Red Grade Road.
While winter weather that’s brought cooler temperatures and snow has helped turn the corner on getting control of what had been a dangerous and advancing wildfire, it’s also made things muddy and difficult to access in some places, the agency has reported.
“With the much-needed arrival of a mid-October snowfall, the immediate fire threat was reduced,” the Bighorn National Forest reported Wednesday.
Work will continue on building breaks and fire lines for future protection of cabins and assets in the area.
While both fires report nearly 100% confinement or containment, it may be awhile before 100% is reported. That’s because there are still some hot spots and smoldering areas in the interior of the burn areas that may take weeks, or even months, to be fully suppressed.
Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
