Yellowstone National Park officials report good progress was made on two fires in spite of continued hot, dry, and windy weather. There was no new growth on any of the fires; and no new fire starts were reported on July 23. Following is information on each of Yellowstone's wildland fires:

Amethyst Fire: This lightning-caused fire is located in the northeast section of the park near Amethyst Mountain and Specimen Ridge. Yesterday, crews concentrated on getting a line around the hottest areas on the southwest flank. Work will continue on mopping up, working on hot spots, and completing a line. Helicopter bucket drops will continue as needed. The Specimen Ridge Trail is closed from the junction with the Agate Creek Trail to the Lamar River due to the fire. The fire remains at 315 acres.

Boundary Fire: This lightning-caused fire is located in the southwest corner of the park approximately 3 miles south-southeast of Buffalo Lake. Crews continue mop-up and containment activities. This fire is estimated at 2 acres in dense timber.

All other fires are contained and are in patrol status.

Yellowstone Fire Management policy requires that all human-caused fires be suppressed but that natural fires be allowed to burn as long as they do not threaten people, property or resource values. Before any wildland fire is allowed to burn, however, it must be carefully evaluated and meet an inventory of pre-established criteria (including current and forecasted weather and wind conditions, fuel moisture levels, site location data, and sufficient resources). If all criteria are not met on a daily basis, the fire must be reassessed to determine whether it will still be allowed to burn or if it must be immediately suppressed. With the current dry conditions in the park and the lack of any new moisture, each new fire start is being carefully evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine whether the appropriate management action will be to suppress or allow new fire starts to burn.

Today's weather forecast is calling for partly cloudy skies with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures will be around 83 to 90 degrees, with relative humidity around 15 to 18 percent. Winds are expected to be 10-15 mph out of the west, with ridge top winds out of the west at 15 mph. Generally hot and dry weather conditions are predicted in the long term forecast.

There have been a total of 10 fires during the 2003 fire season - 3 human caused and 7 lightning caused.

Fire restrictions went into effect on July 18. Under the restrictions, the following are prohibited:

1) Backcountry Campfires - lighting, building, maintaining, attending or using a campfire, wood fire, charcoal fire or open fire is prohibited in the backcountry.

2) Smoking - smoking is only permitted within an enclosed vehicle or building (unless otherwise prohibited), a developed campground site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials (i.e. parking lots, campsite cooking areas or if surrounded by water).

In developed areas in the park, fires are only allowed in designated fire rings at developed campgrounds. Fires fueled by liquid fuel and LPG fuel are permitted only if used in self-contained appliances.