7:44 p.m. MDT June 13, 2021
The Pack Creek Fire 13 miles southeast of Moab, Utah was very active Sunday afternoon, sending up a large convection column topped by pyrocumulus clouds.
The blaze moved to the northeast crossing Geyser Pass Road northwest of Mt. Mellenthin Sunday, which prompted the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office to order new evacuations. The area affected is all private property east of Geyser Pass on LaSal Mountains, from Blue Lake down through the Dark Canyon area.
Sunday morning the fire was mapped at about 5,400 acres, but the growth in the afternoon will modify that number. At least 72 residences and 69 other structures are threatened.
An excessive heat warning forecast for Monday through Friday, 105° to 108° in the valley, will increase the risk of rapid fire spread. The relative humidity will be in the single digits with nighttime recovery below 20 percent.
The fire behavior forecast through Sunday night predicts that the northern flank will remain most active due to exposure to wind and receptive fuels. Torching and spotting is possible and will result in potentially significant spread. The upper elevations of the east flank will continue smoldering and creeping, however the timberline above will check significant growth.
The behavior of the flames in the video below is fascinating.
Firefighters continue to work on accessible portions of the fire in steep & rugged terrain. With current weather and fire behavior, we expect large fire growth on the #PackCreekFire. Video from Rob Kephart, @ml_nf
South Zone Fire Management Officer. pic.twitter.com/uqoRuFmPe4— Utah Fire Info (@UtahWildfire) June 13, 2021
