Incident Publication

Size at time of update: 33,041 Acres
Containment: 41%
Personnel: 220
Start: Saturday, September 28, 2024
Cause: Human Caused (Under Investigation)
Location: 10 miles southeast of Francis, Utah

The weather around the Yellow Lake Fire is in a warming and drying trend through today. While this may dry out vegetation, it also improves ground and road conditions, allowing crews and heavy equipment to work in areas recovering from the recent snow and rain. Firefighters are prioritizing work in smoldering areas with concentrated areas of fuel buildup along on the north side, specifically near Lambert Hollow. 

On the south side, crews are securing the remaining uncontrolled edge around Tim’s Hole. Once completed, the entire length of Duchesne Ridge will be contained, meaning fire managers are confident the fire will not burn beyond this control line.  

The unburned center of the fire referred to as the “Donut Hole,” continues to be intentionally protected from fire. This area holds both equipment and commercial resources.  Resource advisors and fire managers are working to find options for loggers to safely remove log decks and equipment. The edge of the Donut Hole counts towards the total perimeter of the Yellow Lake Fire, as well as containment percentage.  

Much of the effort of the fire has shifted to suppression repair. Crews will be today working to repair a long bulldozer line dug as a secondary line of defense along the West Fork of the Duchesne. Suppression repair crews are also working on the northside of the fire.  In total, 26 miles of dozer line and 13 miles of hand line were constructed during while fighting the fire. A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team arrives today to begin prioritizing the suppression repair before winter weather arrives.   

Forest Closures:  

• Updated October 18, 2024, the Yellow Lake Fire closure area has been reduced on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. This Order shall remain in effect until November 25, 2024, unless rescinded. 
  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/uwcnf/alerts-notices 
   
• Updated October 19, 2024, the Yellow Lake Fire closure area has been reduced on the Ashley National Forest. This closure will remain in place through December 31, 2024, or until rescinded. https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/ashley/alerts-notices 

For Evacuation Information:  

https://emergency-management-operations-wasatch.hub.arcgis.com/ 

https://tricountyemergencyalert.genasys.com/portal/en 

Elk Fire Update

Wednesday, October 23, 2024 - 9:00 a.m.

Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1

Dan Dallas, Incident Commander

Special Notes: U.S. Highway14 reopened this morning with reduced speed limits and truck traffic prohibited. There are firefighters and highway repair crews working along the highway. Please obey speed limits and drive cautiously. Consider avoiding the area entirely if you don’t have to be there. 

Current Situation: Risk to identified values was decreased by yesterday’s colder temperatures, light precipitation and high relative humidity. However, pockets of heavy fuels continue to burn inside the fire perimeter. Additional fire growth is expected to be minimal, and fire behavior is primarily creeping and smoldering.

Good progress is being made on suppression repair work along the eastern side of the fire. All suppression repair is being conducted in coordination with Resource Advisors from the local area.

Division A: With limited access to hand crews and few values at risk, this Division is being observed by aircraft as needed and is a lower priority for action at this time.

Division Z: Even though the snow is melting, muddy conditions make access very challenging by vehicle and on foot. Crews are continuing to improve firelines in the Red Canyon area. A road grader worked yesterday on suppression repair of dozer lines. 

Divisions P, M, K: Graders continue making progress along the dozer lines from Division P, to M, implementing suppression repair where appropriate. Fire managers have been working with landowners in Division M to address specific suppression repair issues on their property.

Divisions I:  About 75% percent of suppression repair work in this division has been completed on the mapped and previously unmapped dozer lines. Crews made good progress on clearing ladder fuels along roads in the southern part of the division. 

Division H: Heavy fog hampered the work planned for yesterday, so it will likely take an additional day to get this indirect line prepped. Crews continue work on the 26, or Red Grade Road, prepping it to use as an indirect fireline, to its junction with the 16 Road. They will prep that road to its junction with Highway 14. This work includes removing brush and other fuels by limbing trees and removing understory vegetation to eliminate small ladder fuels. This will assist with defending firelines in the event fire activity increases. 

Divisions D, F: Fire supervisors are searching for hot spots with aerial resources, including drones. They assessed the road system for a potential indirect fireline north of Burgess Junction to protect the WY DOT compound and the Forest Service Visitor Center and Work Center. Good progress was made to prep the 15 Road north to Division A, limbing trees and removing small ladder fuels. Road graders are clearing the snow remaining on the roads, making way for crews and heavy equipment.

Weather, Fuels, and Fire Behavior: Snow from the recent weather system has mostly melted away, except in some areas with north-facing slopes and dense canopies. It will be slightly warmer and drier today, in between successive cold fronts, but good overnight humidity recovery continues. Lighter winds, with a prevailing southwest direction for higher elevations, are expected. An overnight cold front will bring higher humidity and potential for light rain/snow showers before sunrise Thursday, along with a return of northwest winds. Today’s fire behavior will be minimal, limited to creeping and smoldering, with no fire growth expected.

Evacuations: For information on Johnson County evacuations, go to Johnson County Emergency Management’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JohnsonCoWYEMC . For info on Sheridan County evacuations and road closures, go to the Sheridan County Emergency Management website: www.tinyurl.com/2s38bcc5 . You can also call the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office (307-672-3455) or Sheridan County Emergency Management (307-752-2174).

Closures: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Elk Fire. Wildfires are a no-fly zone for unauthorized aircraft, including drones. If you fly, we can’t.  For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

US Highway 14 opens today between Burgess Junction and Dayton. The highway may be congested by firefighter traffic, highway repair work, and public use. Please minimize stopping and don’t block side roads so that firefighters can get to their assignments. There continue to be closures on Red Grade Road and County Road 89 from Dayton to Beckton Junction. County Road 335 is closed from the intersection of County Road 335 and Brinton Road to the west. View the Wyoming Department of Transportation road-closure map here: https://www.wyoroad.info/ . Bighorn National Forest closure Order No. 02-02-06-24-08 remains in effect. The order and map can be viewed here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/bighorn/alerts-notices .

Elk Fire Statistics:

Size: 96,360 acres   |   Containment: 51%   |   Total Personnel: 451  |    Location: West of Sheridan, WY

Reported: September 27, 2024   |   Cause: lightning

The Central Idaho Dispatch Zone is at HIGH Fire Danger

There have been two (2) new fires reported on the Salmon-Challis National Forest since the last update on Monday, October 14, 2024.  To date, there have been 66 wildfires reported on the Salmon-Challis National Forest.  55 of the fires have been declared out. 

Transfer (October 19): is approximately 15 miles southwest of Challis on the Challis-Yankee Fork Ranger District.  The fire 0.10 acre fire burning in lodgepole pine and Douglas fir is out. 

Spruce (October 14): is approximately 11 miles northwest of Challis on the Challis-Yankee Fork Ranger District. The fire 0.10 acre fire burning in pine litter is out. 

Nugget (September 13): is located approximately 40 miles west of Salmon on the North Fork Ranger District in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.  The 994 acre fire is burning in fir.  The fire is surrounded by and in fire scars from 2005, 2013, and 2015. Fire managers are recommending the public do not enter the Nugget and Cradle Creek drainages.  The fire can be found on InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idscf-nugget-fire. 

Garden (September 8):  is located approximately two (2) miles southwest of the confluence of Panther Creek and the Main Salmon River on the North Fork Ranger District in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.  The fire is being managed by a Complex Incident Management Team and is being reported separately.  The fire can be found on InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idscf-garden-fire. 

Vanity (September 3): is located approximately 42 miles west of Challis on the Middle Fork Ranger District. The approximately 600 acre fire is burning in subalpine fir and is surrounded by the 2012 Halstead Fire. Fire managers are using a point protection strategy (a wildfire response strategy, which protects specific assets or highly valued resources from the wildfire without directly halting the continued spread of the wildfire) to minimize exposure to fire personnel while protecting identified values. Specific values potentially threatened with this fire include Forest Service infrastructure.  The fire can be found on InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idscf-vanity. 

Red Rock (September 2):  is located approximately two (2) miles east of Yellowjacket Guard Station on the Salmon-Cobalt Ranger District.  A Complex Incident Management Team is managing the fire, and information is being reported separately.  The fire can be found on InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idscf-red-rock-fire.   

Reynolds (August 22):  is located approximately 21 miles northwest of Indianola, approximately 5.5 miles northwest of Horse Creek Hot Springs Campground on the Idaho/Montana border.  Fire is estimated to be approximately 2,671 acres burning in spruce and fir.  The Bitterroot National Forest is lead on this fire. 

Birch (August 17):  is located on the west side of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River on Norton Ridge on the Middle Fork Ranger District in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.  The 22,995 acre fire is burning in subalpine fir.  The fire is surrounded by the 2022 Norton Fire and fire scars from the fires of 2000.  The fire can be found on InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idscf-birch-fire. 

Greyhound (August 11): is located approximately 46 miles northwest of Challis on the Middle Fork Ranger District. The 97 acre fire is burning in subalpine fir and lodgepole pine on the edge of the 2021 Boundary Creek Fire is 100% contained. 

Wapiti (July 24):  started on the Boise National Forest, burned onto the Sawtooth National, and around August 24th burned onto the Salmon-Challis National Forest.  The fire has been turned back over to the local unit.  Information can be found on InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idbof-wapiti-fire. 

Thunder (July 24): The lightning fire is located approximately two (2) miles northwest of Williams Lake and approximately 12 miles southwest of Salmon. The fire is 100% contained and controlled, fire size is estimated to be 2,474 acres and is burning in timber, sagebrush, and grass. 

Weather:  A few light showers remain possible across the central mountains through tonight.  The next chance of rain or snow will be Wednesday evening through Thursday morning.  Amounts will be light as this storm will be moving through quickly.  Temperatures will remain several degrees above average except Thursday into Friday. 

The forest is asking visitors to be aware of the HIGH fire danger for the Salmon-Challis National Forest.  Ensure your campfire is dead out. If it is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave! One Less Spark Means One Less Wildfire.  Since June 1, Forest employees have found and extinguished at least 16 abandoned campfires. 

Nationally, there are 31 uncontained large fires being managed under a full suppression strategy and 17 large fires managed under a strategy other than full suppression. 

Visit our website at: www.fs.usda.gov/scnf/, ‘Like Us’ on Facebook @salmonchallisnf, and ‘Follow Us’ on X @salmonchallisnf. 

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Red Rock Fire 

Operations: 

Resources have shifted from active suppression to suppression repair activities, with focus on restoring areas disturbed by firefighting operations. Assessment and collaboration with local Resource Advisors (READs) to develop comprehensive repair plans for sites affected by heavy vehicle use, hand tools, and equipment to minimize future erosion and environmental impacts have been created.

Suppression repairs along Panther Creek Road include erosion control, grading, ditch clearing, the removal of debris and supplies from the fire area is in progress. Firefighters used hand tools behind Blackbird Mine to build water bars which redirect runoff and prevent gully formation. Increased containment in the Yellowjacket area has allowed heavy equipment such as excavators to reposition natural vegetation over dozer lines and hazardous trees along access roads will be felled and managed to protect drainage structures. The dozer line extending north-west from Williams Creek Summit has been completed, and crews are now chipping woody debris created throughout the suppression effort. Resources in the Red Rock Peak area are preparing to back haul point protection equipment such as pumps and hoses.

On the Napias Spot Fire, resources have completed their objectives and as of today it will be unstaffed. Equipment used to complete the Napias Spot Fire suppression repair will be moving to the Red Rock Fire. 

Garden Fire     

Operations:

Resources are actively patrolling and checking for any remaining heat or smokes on the north and northeast side of the fire, along the Panther Creek/Morgan Creek Roads. 

Additional Information

Weather: 

The expected cold front will arrive this afternoon bringing precipitation and snow above 6000ft with accumulations of up to 3 inches. Later in the evening an incoming wind shift will bring gusty winds upwards of 25mph. A drop in temperature and corresponding increase in humidity will significantly aid in minimizing any fire behavior. 

Closures: The Red Rock Closure Order, Number: 04-13-24-027 remains in effect. For more info:  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/scnf/alerts-notices 

Please adhere to closure orders, this is still an active fire area. It is important for both the safety of the public and the firefighters working in the area. There are multiple roads and bridges that have been destroyed or are impassable. Barricade closures will be posted at road intersections and forest boundaries. 

Evacuations: For evacuation information in Lemhi County regarding both the Red Rock and Garden fires please go to: https://www.lemhicountyidaho.org/emergency-management-department 

Garden and Red Rock Fire October 23.png

Wed, 10/23/2024 - 10:10

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Garden and Red Rock Fire October 23.png

Incident Activity: Repairs to containment line built by dozers and firefighters to prevent the Valley Fire from reaching homes and communities is complete. Heavy equipment operators and firefighters restored 33 miles of dozer and handline, returning it to a more natural state ready for regrowth. Erosion control was built into the repairs and seeding of those lines by fire crews is finished. The seed was carefully selected for the Boise Foothills landscape.

Video of Valley Fire Start to Finish: Video includes the Valley Fire in the early hours, how close the fire got to the Adelmann Mine structure, views of fire damage from the air, a scattered herd of sheep in the fire area moved to a safe location and interviews with firefighters. Use the QR code to view and download.

Incident Management: Nevada Team 2, a Type 3 Incident Management Team has managed the Valley Fire since October 8. Nevada Team 2 work is complete. The Idaho Department of Lands is keeping a Type 4 team to wrap up work on the Valley Fire. Nevada Team 2 thanks the Idaho Department of Lands, the Bureau of Land Management, Boise District, the Boise National Forest, the Boise Fire Department and other local agencies that assisted with initial firefighting efforts. Appreciation goes to those agencies and others, as well as communities and stakeholders, who continued to support the containment of the Valley Fire, the suppression repair work, and helped share incident information. Nevada Team 2 also wants to thank the many resources and people who made success possible, including heavy equipment operators, aerial resources and especially the firefighters who demonstrated excellent work throughout the Valley Fire incident.

Recreation, Trails, Closures and Use of Fire-Impacted Areas: The hard work done to repair containment line can easily be undone by hiking, biking, and motorized travel. The public is asked to avoid disturbing these areas so seed can grow and the Boise Foothills can recover from fire damage. The Boise River Wildlife Management Area and associated trails are closed until further notice. Please honor closures that are still in place to protect sensitive soils and allow for ongoing landscape restoration efforts that extend beyond the duties of Valley Fire operations.

Valley Fire Overview: The fire was reported Friday, October 4, 2024, about 1 mile east of Boise on the north side of Idaho State Highway 21. The fire was very visible from East Boise as it burned in mostly grassy fuels in the Boise Foothills. Quick work on initial attack stopped the fire from reaching nearby homes. The current fire cost estimate is $5.2 million. 
 

Email: 2024.shoe@firenet.gov

Incident Website: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cashf-shoe-fire

Forest Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/stnf

Fire Weather Forecast: https://www.weather.gov/wrh/CAFW?area=ECC005

Fire Information: 530-338-0317

Media Line: 909-855-4233

Hours: 08:00am to 8:00pm

Location: Shasta County, CA                                           Start Date:  Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at 6:57 p.m.    

Cause: Human caused                                                       Size: 5,124                                                            

Percent Contained:  29%                                                 Vegetation: Timber, Chapparal 

Number of Personnel Assigned: 1,569

The Shoe Fire has not grown in the past 24 hours due to the hard work of firefighters and fire line leadership. Intense heat has been detected in various locations within the fire perimeter; however, response teams continue to prioritize these areas of concern. Overall, the crews have successfully established all containment lines and will now concentrate on mop-up operations. Mop-up refers to the procedure of extinguishing a fire after it has been contained, and it constitutes a crucial phase in preventing the fire from reigniting or spreading to unburned areas. This process may involve several additional measures, such as the removal of fire-damaged trees by skilled sawyer teams, the cooling of ash pits, and the reduction of heat in logs or stumps.

WEATHER: Winds are expected to strengthen this afternoon and evening, particularly in the southern regions. Today, the wind patterns will primarily be influenced by the terrain. The meteorological conditions are characterized by northerly to northeasterly breezes descending the canyon during the late morning, transitioning to southerly to southwesterly winds ascending the canyon in the afternoon. Temperatures are expected to rise into the mid-70s during the early evening, with minimum relative humidity levels ranging from 25% to 30%. The wind will be coming from the north to northeast. Canyon winds are expected to redevelop tonight as a drier air mass settles over the slopes and ridges.

EVACUATIONS:  Mandatory evacuations remain in place for zone LKH-1448-B. Residents who have not evacuated are encouraged to do so. Evacuation information and alerts can be found by visiting protect.genasys.com

Information staff for the Shoe Fire are working diligently to provide timely and accurate information to the public. Fire updates can be found on the Shoe Fire 2024 Facebook page: www.facebook.com/2024ShoeFire/

FIRE AND SMOKE MAP:

Updates on smoke conditions can be found under the following link

https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/59ecb6c0?

ROAD CLOSURES:

• Fenders Ferry Road at Pit River 7 Bridge: West-Bound Fenders Ferry Road (Also known as 34N17 - Forest Service Road 27) at the Pit River Bridge/Pit 7
• Ferry Road is closed at McCloud Bridge: East-Bound Fenders Ferry Road at the McCloud River Bridge

FOREST CLOSURES:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/stnf/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprdb5392380

Size at time of update: 33,041 Acres
Containment: 37%
Personnel: 343
Start: Saturday, September 28, 2024
Cause: Human Caused (Under Investigation)
Location: 10 miles southeast of Francis, Utah

At 7:00 AM this morning, the Northern Utah Type 3 Team took over management of the fire. 

Yesterday, Utah Department of Transportation opened State Road 35.  The North Fork Road and Mirror Lake Highway (SR 150) is also open. A Forest Closure remains in effect on both the Ashley and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forests. Please drive cautiously and stay out of burned areas that have hot ash and fire-weakened trees.   We specifically ask hunters and recreationists to stay out of the Closure area.

 Last week’s rain and snow on the Yellow Lake Fire did not completely put the fire out.  Infrared radiation, taken at night, continues to detect heat signatures in various locations, some near the edge of the fire. Firefighters continue to see fire activity, including torching trees. Crews have been working to extinguish these before they become a threat to the line, as they attempt to increase containment. 

 Road conditions have improved, allowing firefighters access to almost all sides of the fire. Though some of the roads are still slippery and provide some safety hazards.  As the need for firefighting winds down, efforts to repair the scars left from suppression efforts ramp up.  Suppression repair is particularly important for water quality. 

 Most crew activity has been concentrated on the northside of the fire. Yesterday, crews installed water bars from an area near Iron Mine Mountain to the Soapstone community.  Water bars are logs angled into the slope to divert and slow channelized surface water, reducing erosion.  Roads and dozer lines on steeper slopes are targets for water bars.

 On the southside of the fire near Duchesne Ridge, crews are working with Resource Advisors to clean culverts plugged with soil and rock. Ditch lines and roads in this area may have been obstructed by fire suppression efforts and need to drain freely to improve water quality.

Forest Closures: 

• Updated October 18, 2024, the Yellow Lake Fire closure area has been reduced on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. This Order shall remain in effect until November 25, 2024, unless rescinded. https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/uwcnf/alerts-notices
• Updated October 19, 2024, the Yellow Lake Fire closure area has been reduced on the Ashley National Forest. This closure will remain in place through December 31, 2024, or until rescinded. https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/ashley/alerts-notices

For Updated Evacuation Zones: 

https://emergency-management-operations-wasatch.hub.arcgis.com/

https://tricountyemergencyalert.genasys.com/portal/en

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1208878.pdf

For Immediate Release

Contact: Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office

No Changes to Evacuation Status and Road Closures Amid Ongoing Fire Response

Sheridan County, 10/22/2024 10:00 a.m. – After careful evaluation of current fire conditions and the operational needs of fire personnel, officials have determined that no changes will be made today to the existing evacuation statuses and road closures. These measures remain in place to ensure the safety of both fire crews and local residents.

Road Closures Remain in Effect

• Road closures continue to be enforced to allow fire personnel, fire aircraft, and local residents safe access to the closure areas.
• Red Grade Road remains a hard closure as fire crews work to remove hazardous trees and strengthen fire lines along the roadway.

Due to the ongoing work with large machinery, public access to Red Grade Road is not safe at this time. Heavy equipment is being used to clear debris and remediate fire lines, making travel in the area hazardous.

Ongoing Operations

Fire crews are actively using heavy machinery to clear debris and repair fire lines. We understand the inconvenience these closures may cause, but they are necessary to ensure both public safety and the effectiveness of fire suppression efforts.

Officials will continue to re-evaluate conditions daily and will lift restrictions when it is safe to do so.

We appreciate your continued patience as we work to manage these efforts and protect our community.

Stay Updated

We encourage everyone to monitor the Sheridan County Facebook page and the Sheridan County website for the most up-to-date information.

Sheridan County Emergency Management Phone: 307-752-2174

Sheridan County Web Site: www.sheridancountywy.gov
Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SheridanCountyGovernment for live updates.

Elk Fire Update

Saturday, October 19, 2024 - 9:00 a.m.

Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1

Dan Dallas, Incident Commander

Special Notes: Evacuations and closures will continue to evolve on the Elk Fire as additional progress is made. Please continue checking the evacuation and closure links below for the most current information.

The Elk Fire Incident Command Post will be moving this week to the Fairgrounds in Sheridan. There may be more firefighter traffic on the highways as a result. Please drive with caution. 

Current Situation: Steep terrain and heavy dead and down timber within the fire area make it difficult for firefighters to safely engage the fire. Remnants of snow remain in some of the shaded areas and northern facing slopes; however, a gradual drying pattern continues. Fire personnel were busy yesterday doing prep work to make potential firelines more defensible and repairing previous suppression lines.

Division A: This remote part of the fire with limited access is being surveilled by aircraft and is a lower priority for action at this time.

Division Z: New division management arrived yesterday. Their time was focused on structure protection plans for the area. Crews are continuing to improve firelines in the Red Canyon area. A road grader worked yesterday on suppression repair of dozer lines. 

Divisions Z, P, M, K: Graders will continue line prep and repair where appropriate. Heavy equipment is scheduled to arrive on Division K to begin repair work there today. A UAS (drone) was utilized in Division M to identify hot spots.

Divisions I:  Ninety percent of suppression repair in this division has been completed on the previously mapped dozer lines. Crews are finding additional dozer lines not shown on maps that they are also repairing as they find them. Crews made good progress on clearing ladder fuels along roads in the southern part of the division. 

Division H: Crews are continuing work on the 26, or Red Grade Road, prepping it to use as an indirect fireline, to its junction with the 16 Road. They will prep that road to its junction with Highway 14. This work includes removing brush and other fuels by limbing trees and removing understory vegetation to eliminate small ladder fuels. This will assist with defending firelines in the event fire activity increases. Dozers are establishing areas to stack all the large, removed materials so they are not near the improved firelines.

Divisions D, F: Fire supervisors are searching for hot spots with aerial resources, including drones. They assessed the road system for a potential indirect fireline north of Burgess Junction to protect the WY DOT compound and the Forest Service Visitor Center and Work Center. Good progress was made to prep the 15 Road north to Division A, limbing trees and removing small ladder fuels. Road graders are clearing the snow remaining on the roads, making way for crews and heavy equipment.

Weather, Fuels, and Fire Behavior: Snow from the recent weather system has mostly melted away, except in some areas with north-facing slopes and dense canopies. A drying trend has led to reduced fuel moisture; however, pockets of heat still persist, resulting in creeping and smoldering fire behavior. Individual trees are igniting occasionally due to ladder fuels extending into the tree canopy. 

A couple of weak disturbances later in the week will displace the high-pressure system that’s been hovering over the fire. This morning there is a 20% chance of measurable rain, ushered in by some 20-25 mph winds before the front. This should decrease the temperatures, shift the winds to northwesterly and improve minimum relative humidity levels. 

We had excellent humidity recovery overnight at about 90%, which will help with firefighting efforts today.  It will warm up a little Wednesday before the next front comes through that evening. That front brings a 20% chance of wetting rain across the fire with cooler temperatures.

The cloud cover expected today will minimize fire activity; however, firefighters are aware that flareups could be seen where the expected winds align with fuels and topography.

Evacuations: For information on Johnson County evacuations, go to Johnson County Emergency Management’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JohnsonCoWYEMC . For info on Sheridan County evacuations and road closures, go to the Sheridan County Emergency Management website: www.tinyurl.com/2s38bcc5 . You can also call the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office (307-672-3455) or Sheridan County Emergency Management (307-752-2174).

Closures: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Elk Fire. Wildfires are a no-fly zone for unauthorized aircraft, including drones. If you fly, we can’t.  For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

There have been no changes in road closures within the fire area. US Highway 14 is closed between Burgess Junction and Dayton primarily due to falling rocks and debris, and pockets of active fire behavior. There are also closures on Red Grade Road and County Road 89 from Dayton to Beckton Junction. County Road 335 is closed from the intersection of County Road 335 and Brinton Road to the west. View the Wyoming Department of Transportation road-closure map here: https://www.wyoroad.info/ . Bighorn National Forest closure Order No. 02-02-06-24-08 is in effect. The order and map can be viewed here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/bighorn/alerts-notices .

Elk Fire Statistics:

Size: 96,360 acres   |   Containment: 51%   |   Total Personnel: 540  |    Location: West of Sheridan, WY

Reported: September 27, 2024   |   Cause: lightning

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Total Acres: 89,627           

Confined: 64%      

Total Personnel: 563

Operations – On the north side of the Pack Trail Fire, crews will revalidate the natural features used for containment around Two Oceans Meadow, completing fire suppression repair where there is little fire activity. On the east flank, crews continue to mop up hotspots, cold trail the fire’s edge, and complete suppression repair near the 546 Road and Fish Lake area. On the

southern end of the fire, crews work from the Strawberry Warming Hut area to Buffalo Meadows, preparing for a strategic firing operation to clean up pockets of heat along the perimeter to make the area more accessible to fire crews. From Elk Track Ranch to Buffalo Meadows, crews are preparing to conduct a back-firing operation to clean up the fire perimeter along the

western flank. These strategies are being used to strengthen, straighten, and secure the fire edge, diminishing the potential for

hotspots to gain heat and momentum, which could make uncontrolled runs toward the containment lines. When a strategic

firing operation occurs, smoke will be visible from Jackson.

Safety – Despite the recent precipitation, Teton Interagency Fire Managers are maintaining the Very High Fire Danger Rating for Grand Teton National Park, the Bridger-Teton National Forest, the Shoshone National Forest, and the National Elk Refuge. This precipitation was not a fire season ending event. Due to wind, fuels will begin to rapidly dry out when the snow melts. Any spark can ignite fire which can grow rapidly into a major incident. Residents and visitors are reminded to exercise extreme caution with fires or other possible ignition sources. Follow local regulations regarding outdoor burning and fireworks.

Please use caution while driving these areas, especially on narrow secondary roads. Always expect to encounter fire vehicles and heavy equipment in and around the fire area. Check with WY-DOT for possible closures due to fire activity, especially if you are planning to travel on US-26 across the Continental Divide. Closures are not expected, but with active fire in the area checking status before travel is recommended.

“If you fly, we can’t.” Remember that flying a personal drone over a fire area during a temporary flight restriction is illegal and can be an extremely dangerous threat to both our aviators and firefighters on the ground.

Weather – Today will be partly to mostly cloudy with temperatures of 45-50 degrees with minimum relative humidity’s between 25% - 30%. Winds from the southwest - west will be 9-14 MPH with gusts up to 25. A cold front will bring increased cloud cover and a chance for precipitation over the next few days. To learn more about air quality, visit Fire.AirNow.Gov.

Evacuations – Lava Mountain Lodge, Roaring River Subdivision, Buckboard Subdivision, Double Bar J Ranch, Lava Creek Ranch, Triangle C Ranch, Pelham Lake, Sheridan Creek Camp Areas, Old Mackenzie Ranch, Upper Gros Ventre, Darwin Ranch have been reduced to Level 2 “Set” status. Brooks Lake Lodge, Pinnacle, Breccia, and Long Creek, and Dunior areas have been reduced to a Level 1 “Ready” status. Union Pass subdivision remains in a Level 2 “Set” status. See the Fremont County Emergency Management Facebook Page for alerts and updates. See the Teton County Emergency Management website updates and to sign up for emergency alerts through Everbridge.

Road Closures – The Union Pass Road is closed on the Pinedale Ranger District (BTNF) from Mosquito Lake to the Moon Lake Road on the Wind River District (SHO). Moon Lake Road is also closed.

Forest Closures - Closure Order #04-03-24-317 is in effect from October 14, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. through November 15, 2024 at 12:00 a.m. unless rescinded. This order supersedes previous orders, including #04-03-24-316, prohibiting the same or similar acts in the same described area.

For more information, visit: Facebook: USDA Forest Service - Bridger-Teton National Forest, USDA Forest Service - Shoshone National Forest Pack Trail Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/wybtf-pack-trail-fire