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Yellowstone National Park officials report the East Entrance Road was closed yesterday afternoon at approximately 3:00 pm because of the East Fire burning up to the road and crossing over it. The road remains closed due to fire burning right next to the road and dangerous snags falling on
the road. There is no estimate of when it might open. No other park fires are near roads or buildings, and all facilities in the park remain open. Visitors approaching the park through Cody, Wyoming are reminded that an alternate route into the park from Cody is the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway (WY Route 296) through the Northeast Entrance. A Type II incident management team has assumed responsibility for the East and Grizzly Fires.
Following is information on Yellowstone's wildland fires:
Grizzly Fire: A crew of 17 and an assigned helicopter aggressively worked to suppress this fire yesterday.
Tyson Fire: This fire is now estimated at 20 - 40 acres in size. It is located in the Beaverdam Creek drainage east of the Southeast Arm of Yellowstone Lake. Checking the spread of this fire will be a high priority for park crews, to prevent it from spreading into heavier forest types to the northeast.
There were two new fire starts yesterday, the Rocky Fire, located east of Yellowstone Lake, and the Union Fire, east of Union Falls on Pitchstone Plateau.
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 ? 82 degrees, with relative humidity at 23 - 25 percent. Winds are expected to be from the east at 10 ? 15 mph with ridge top winds out of the east at 10 - 20 mph. The long term forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with a small chance of showers and thunderstorms, and highs in the upper 70s and lower 80s.
There have been a total of 56 fires during the 2003 fire season - 6 human caused and 50 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.
For a recorded message of updated fire information, call: 307-344-2580. For fire maps and other fire information, visit the park's web site at: http://www.nps.gov/yell/technical/fire/index.htm.
East Fire: This fire grew considerably yesterday. No new size estimate is available at this time. At approximately 3:00 pm, the fire spread across the East Entrance Road at Cub Creek, forcing the closure of the road. The Turbid Lake, Jones Pass, Ninemile and Avalanche Peak trails are closed due to the fire.
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).
Information provided by the NPS
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