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The East Entrance Road into the park remains closed. Yellowstone National Park officials report that the possible spread of the East Fire closer to the road and low visibility due to smoke make the road unsafe for travel. At this time, there is no projected opening date. The Chief Joseph Highway,
(Wyoming Route 296) is an alternative route from the Cody area into the park through the Northeast Entrance. All facilities in the Fishing Bridge area and throughout the park remain open.
Fewer new fires started yesterday, and park crews made good progress in the initial attack of small fires. Park staff, a 20-person crew and 6 helicopters will work the active fires today. A Type II team has been called in and will take over the East Fire sometime tomorrow. Following is further information on Yellowstone's wildland fires:
Grizzly Fire: A crew of 20 and an assigned helicopter will aggressively suppress this fire today. It showed increased activity yesterday, but did not grow significantly.
River Fire: This fire has not been located after initial detection on August 10.
Polecat Fire: This fire is in patrol status.
Crooked Fire: Three firefighters will be assigned to this fire today.
Plumber Fire: A new start yesterday, this fire is located west of Shoshone Lake. It will be staffed with a small crew today.
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 significant 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 conditions with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms this afternoon. High temperatures will be around 80 - 85 degrees, with relative humidity as low as 19 - 22 percent. Winds are expected to be up-slope at 7 - 12 mph, becoming 15 mph out of the south in the afternoon, with ridge top winds out of the southwest at 10 - 15 mph. The long term forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with a chance of showers and thunderstorms, and highs in the upper
70s and lower 80s.
There have been a total of 53 fires during the 2003 fire season - 6 human caused and 47 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; and 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.
East Fire: This fire has grown to approximately 2,700 acres. Yesterday's spread was mostly to the west and south, with some spread to the east. The fire spread to some extent over the park boundary into the Crow Creek drainage of Shoshone National Forest. Today's efforts will concentrate on using bucket drops to hold the east side from further spread, and holding the south side from moving closer to the road.
The following are smaller fires in active status:
Harebell Fire: This fire has not been located after initial detection on August 10.
Other controlled fires will be patrolled today with an infrared heat detection system from the air.
Information provided by the NPS
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