Construction Work To Result In Yellowstone Road Closures After Labor Day
Two sections of Yellowstone’s Grand Loop Road will be closed due to construction after the Labor Day holiday weekend. Travel between some points will involve long detours and significantly longer than normal travel times. More »
Two New Small Fires Reported In Yellowstone
Contact: Nash, (307) 344-2010
Contact: Vallie, (307) 344-2012
Two new small wildfires were reported in Yellowstone National Park on Wednesday.
The Big Thumb Fire near Grant Village has been extinguished due to its proximity to the developed area. The Stinky Fire is burning in the backcountry 19 miles southeast of Tower Junction. It is about three-quarters of an acre in size. Firefighters have been assigned to the fire.
The Magpie Fire received about a quarter of an inch of rain Wednesday. Fire activity remains quiet. The 1,815 acre fire is burning in the backcountry 7 miles east of Madison Junction. The Bison Peak Fire northeast of Tower Junction and the Alice Fire northeast of Fishing Bridge continue to smolder. Both are less than an acre in size.
There have been a total of nine fires reported in Yellowstone National Park this year. All four fires still burning in Yellowstone are in the backcountry well away from roads and developed areas. None of them pose any threat to park visitors. All visitor services, park entrances and roads are open. While fire danger in the park remains high, there are no fire restrictions in effect.
When actively burning, the Magpie Fire can produce smoke which can cause a light haze over portions of the park or settle at times in low lying areas. This fire is being managed as a Wildland Fire Use for Resource Benefits, since it benefits the ecosystem and doesn’t pose a threat to people or property. It is being monitored on the ground, from lookout towers and by over flights.
Virtual visitors can monitor the Magpie Fire in real-time by viewing the Mount Washburn Fire Lookout Web Cam at http://www.nps.gov/yell/tours/livecams/mtwashburn. Updated information on fire activity in Yellowstone National Park is posted to the Wildland Fire section of the park web site at http://www.nps.gov/yell/technical/fire and the InciWeb Incident Information System web site at http://inciweb.org.
Did You Know?
Lake trout are an invasive species of fish that is decimating the native cutthroat trout population in Yellowstone Lake.