A fast-moving wildfire dubbed the Pack Fire erupted Thursday afternoon in the Eastern Sierra, torching more than 1,800 acres in hours and forcing immediate evacuations as flames raced toward the popular Mammoth Lakes resort area. The blaze, first reported around 2:15 p.m. near Highway 395 and Owens Gorge Road in Mono County, exploded under red-flag conditions — gusty winds up to 50 mph and bone-dry vegetation — sending massive plumes of smoke visible from Nevada.

By Friday morning, November 14, 2025, the fire had grown to 1,842 acres with zero percent containment, according to Cal Fire. Mandatory evacuations were issued for the communities of Paradise, Swall Meadows, and parts of Crowley Lake, with evacuation warnings extended to the town of Mammoth Lakes itself. The Mono County Sheriff’s Office urged residents to grab their go-bags and leave immediately, warning that the fire was “behaving extremely” and spotting up to a mile ahead of the main front.

Dramatic photos released by the Mammoth Lakes Police Department show a wall of orange flames roaring up rugged slopes under a blood-red sky, with embers raining down like fireworks. “This is one of the most aggressive fire starts we’ve seen in years,” said Incident Commander Jake Cagle at a Thursday night briefing. “We’re throwing everything at it.”

More than 600 firefighters, backed by air tankers and helicopters, battled the blaze overnight, but high winds grounded aircraft for several critical hours. By dawn, crews had established some anchor points on the southern flank, but the northern edge continued racing toward critical power lines that serve the Mammoth Yosemite Airport and the ski resort’s snow-making operations.

Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Mono County late Thursday, unlocking additional resources. “This fire is a stark reminder that fire season never really ends in California anymore,” Newsom posted on X. Edison power lines in the area have already been de-energized as a precaution, leaving hundreds without electricity.

The cause remains under investigation, but PG&E confirmed one of its transmission towers showed “fire activity” in the vicinity. Detectives and arson investigators are embedded with the incident team.

Residents described scenes of chaos as they fled. “We had 10 minutes to grab the dogs and the kids and get out,” said Paradise resident Sarah Kline, speaking from the evacuation center at Mammoth High School. “The sky turned black at 4 p.m. — it looked like the end of the world.”

Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort, which just opened for the season last weekend, has suspended all operations until further notice. “The safety of our guests and staff is priority one,” resort officials posted. “Pray for rain, pray for our firefighters.”

No injuries or destroyed structures have been reported yet, but fire officials warn that could change rapidly if the wind shifts again. A community meeting is set for 6 p.m. Friday at the Crowley Lake Community Center — for those who can still get there.

As of 8 a.m. Friday, the Pack Fire remains a raging threat, with weather forecasters warning that critical fire conditions will continue through the weekend. For the tight-knit mountain towns of the Eastern Sierra, this is the nightmare they’ve dreaded all fall.