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Yellowstone National Park officials report progress on clearing the East Entrance Road of snags and fire-weakened trees. However, the East Entrance Road remains closed today. Personnel from firefighting crews on the East Fire continue to clear the hazardous trees and snags along a 12 mile stretch of the road which has been affected by the fire. It is likely the road will remain closed all day. 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. No other roads are currently impacted by fire, and all facilities in the park are open. Smoke from several fires in and around the park can at times affect visibility. Smoke conditions are dependent on location, weather, and fire behavior.
Following is information on active Yellowstone fires:
Grizzly Fire: This fire is estimated at 435 acres in size and is burning in remote and rugged terrain.
A Type 2 incident management team has responsibility for the East and Grizzly Fires. For information on these two fires, contact fire information for the East Fire Incident Management Team at: 307-242-9115.
Tyson Fire: This fire is about 150 acres, and is 70% contained. Yellowstone Park crews have been suppressing the fire using minimum impact management tactics. Line construction supported with portable pumps with hose lays and helicopter bucket drops have kept this fire from growing significantly. The fire is located on fairly steep slopes in the Beaverdam Creek drainage east of the Southeast Arm of Yellowstone Lake. 28 Yellowstone firefighters and two helicopters will continue to work toward full containment today.
Union Fire: Located between the Bechler area and Pitchstone Plateau in a very remote location, this fire has been slowly growing in size within its designated confinement area. It will be reassessed today by fire behavior specialists. It is about 84 acres in size.
Backcountry trails currently closed due to fire activity include the Turbid Lake, Jones Pass, Ninemile, Avalanche Peak, Pelican Valley to Mist Pass, and Union Falls Trails. Visitors using the backcountry are encouraged to call the backcountry office at (307) 344-2160 for specific trail closure information and other possible restrictions.
Today's weather forecast is calling for mostly sunny conditions. High temperatures will be 71 - 78 degrees, with relative humidity lower at 22 - 25 percent. Winds are expected to be from the west at 5 - 10 mph, with ridge top winds out of the west at 10 mph. The long term forecast calls for little to no precipitation with highs in the mid 70s to lower 80s, and lows in the 40s.
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. With few exceptions, the park is in full suppression mode because of observed extreme fire behavior, very dry fuels, and limited fire fighting resources.
Additional Fire restrictions went into effect on August 16. No wood or charcoal fires will be allowed at any of the frontcountry areas. This includes the use of fire grates, charcoal grills, fire pans, and any other ember-producing equipment in all campgrounds, picnic areas, parking areas, and employee housing. Additionally, no smoking is allowed in the frontcountry except within buildings where smoking is normally permitted, in vehicles, or designated smoking areas-provided an ashtray is used. Other restrictions implemented July 17 prohibit any backcountry wood or charcoal fires, and smoking is restricted to the immediate vicinity of the cooking area in designated backcountry sites only.
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: The fire has grown to 15,000 acres. Burnout efforts on the west flank have been successful in halting the spread of the fire toward Fishing Bridge, and crews will be constructing fire lines on some portions of the fire.
There have been a total of 65 fires during the 2003 fire season-7 human-caused and 58 lightning-caused. No new fires started yesterday.
Information provided by the NPS
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