Pack Creek Fire Daily Update June 23
Pack Creek Fire Update
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Contact Fire Information: (435) 287-4126
Or [email protected] Visit www.utahfireinfo.gov or our storymap at https://arcg.is/SH4Hm0
Start Date: June 9, 2021
Cause: Abandoned campfire
Size in Acres: 8,952
Percent Contained: 66%
Est. Cost to Date: $8.3 mil.
Helicopters: 6
Engines: 17
Crews: 7
Total Personnel: 378
Summary:
Although a Red Flag Warning for dry lightning remains in place today, a forecasted weather change is expected to bring an increase of moisture and cloud cover, with a moderate chance of rain today into Thursday. Yesterday, visible smoke increased as the sunny and dry conditions ignited interior fuels near Haystack Mountain. Residents and visitors should expect to see smoke and dust devils within the fire perimeter over the next several weeks or until significant precipitation occurs. Crews continue patrolling the fire perimeter in Pack Creek and are working to ensure that no hotspots spread past containment lines.
The number of personnel working on the fire will continue to decrease as crews time out or are being reassigned to other fires. Crews continue to extinguish hot spots, securing the fire perimeter and backhauling equipment from the fire area that is no longer needed for suppression efforts. Crews completed the contingency fire break along Warner Lake Road and continue the chipping operation around Buried Hatchet and Whispering Oaks.
A new storymap, Fuels Treatments Ease Fire Behavior in Pack Creek (arcgis.com), tells the story of how interagency fuels treatments conducted over several years in the Pack Creek area helped to reduce fire behavior and provided firefighters a safer place to work on the Pack Creek Fire.
The La Sal Loop Road is now open; however The Manti-La Sal National Forest Closure remains in place and the area remains closed for recreation on public lands. The forest closure can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/mantilasal/alerts-notices.
It’s recommended to avoid driving on the La Sal Loop Road unless necessary to access private property due to the continued presence of heavy fire traffic. The roads to Oowah Lake, Warner Lake, and Geyser Pass remain closed. Road closures for La Sal Pass Road and Dark Canyon Lake Road remain ongoing due to fire activity on the northeast side of the fire. Evacuations remain in place for the Geyser Pass area, and from Blue Lake to the east towards the Dark Canyon area.
Trail closures associated with the Pack Creek Fire include: the Whole Enchilada, Burro Pass, Dry Fork of Mill Creek, Moonlight Meadows, Clark Lake, Warner to Miners, Mountain View, Schumanns Gulch, Trans La Sal, South Mountain, Pack Creek, and Hells Canyon.
Investigators are still seeking leads to help identify those responsible for the fire’s ignition. Anyone who has information related to the identification of the responsible party of the Pack Creek Fire can call the tip line at 775-355-5337.
