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| FRIDAY August 18, 2000 Vol 4, # 50 |
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| FRIDAY August 18, 2000 Vol 4, # 50 |
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| Site Search | Support Yellowstone! Discussion Free Internet, Email, More Email Newsletter | |
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YELLOWSTONE ROAD
REPORT PUBLISHER EDITOR-IN- |
SOUTH ENTRANCE ROAD CLOSED by National Park Service YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (NPS) -- Yellowstone National Park officials report that the South Entrance Road, which had reopened Thursday morning at 8 a.m., is now closed to all incoming and outgoing traffic due to fire activity outside the park. A barricade, located at Grant Village, will allow park visitors staying at the Lewis Lake Campground to travel to the campground from the north, but no further. Fire activity on the Glade Fire, estimated at 742 acres, has forced the evacuation of Flagg Ranch and closure of Highway 89, the only road to the South Entrance. There is no projected time on when the road can safely be reopened to the public. The Grassy Lake Road, located outside the park near the South Entrance, remains closed due to fire activity. Park officials remind visitors that the other entrances (East Entrance, Northeast Entrance, West Entrance, and the North Entrance) remain open, as well as all frontcountry visitor and park facilities, including all lodging, food services, general stores, gift shops, and campgrounds.
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS Ralph Maughan
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FIRE
RESTRICTIONS CLOSED IN YELLOWSTONE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (NPS)
-- Yellowstone National Park officials announce that because of extreme fire danger
with increasing fire activity and continuing hot and dry conditions, no wood or charcoal
fires will be allowed at any of the frontcountry campsites beginning Saturday morning,
August 19, at 1 a.m. This includes the use of fire grates, charcoal grills, fire
pans, and any other ember-producing equipment. 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 Other restrictions implemented August 5 prohibit any backcountry wood or charcoal fires, and smoking is restricted to the immediate vicinity of the cooking area in designated backcountry sites only. Some backcountry trails are also closed due to fire activity. Visitors using the backcountry are encouraged to call the backcountry office at (307) 34-2160 for specific trail closure information and other possible restrictions. |
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| SUMMARY OF CURRENT FIRES
IN YELLOWSTONE by National Park Service YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (NPS) -- Yellowstone National Park officials report a new fire start in the Wednesday due to a lightning strike, bringing the total number of active fires to 9. The Plateau Fire, located in the lower portion of the park along the western boundary near Boundary Creek, is estimated to be 7 acres. This fire is manned. Following is information on other fire activity in the park. The Moose Fire (Moose 1 Fire and Moose 2 Fire combined), located near Moose Creek south
of Shoshone Lake, is now estimated at 270 acres. It is currently unmanned but is being The Star Fire is located near Grants Pass west of Shoshone Lake and is estimated to be about 1 acre in size The Thumb Fire, located west of Grant Village near the Headwaters of Thumb Creek, is approximately 1 acre in size. Ground fire crews are conducting fire suppression efforts. The Fred Fire is located close to Frederick and Druid Peaks in the northeast corner of the park and is estimated to be around 2 acres. This fire is located in very rugged terrain with heavy fuels and has potential for growth. Smokejumpers were able to access the fire today, and helicopter water bucket drops will occur later today. The Boundary Fire is located along the South Boundary of the park near Grassy Lake. This fire is estimated at approximately 2 acres. Fire suppression efforts (ground crew and fire retardant drops) are being done. The Firehole Fire is located near Grants Pass west of Shoshone Lake and is estimated at 1 acre. The Lost Spring Fire (previously the Spring Fire) is located in the lower portion of the park along the western boundary near Buffalo Lake; it is estimated to be 5 acres. Fire crew from the Targhee National Forest are taking suppression efforts on this fire. The Unlucky Fire, located in the southwest portion of the park in the Bechler area, is now estimated to be around 790 acres. This fire was first reported on Sunday, August 13. It is unmanned. Currently, suppression efforts are not being conducted on some fires in the park. Before determining whether suppression efforts will be initiated on an individual fire, a number of factors are taken into consideration, including weather conditions, safety considerations, terrain, and available resources. Some of these fires are located in areas that present a great safety risk to firefighters, with rugged terrain and heavy fuels. Additionally, the park has very limited resources. Yellowstone fire crews are assisting with fires in Montana and areas surrounding the park-fires that have the potential to damage manmade structures or affect human safety. Yellowstone's fires are located in remote backcountry areas and are not threatening any developed areas at this time. Although suppression efforts are not being taken at this time, these fires are being closely monitored and mapped on a daily basis. Two natural fires, spotted July 18 on the Pitchstone Plateau-the Headwaters and Two Smokes Fires-have been declared out. Four other fires-the Spruce Fire (1 acre), the Elephant Fire (2 acres), the Jones Pass Fire (25 acres), and the Bridge Fire (4 acres)-have been controlled. There have been a total of 30 fire starts during the 2000 fire season, 3 of these were human-caused; the remaining 27 were lightning-caused. Overall park fire danger is rated as high, with the extended weather forecast predicting continued hot and dry conditions through August 20. |
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| YELLOWSTONE REMAINS OPEN by Bruce Gourley YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNET) -- Yellowstone is bathed in a haze that blankets the sky with a dullness that is at times eerie. Shades of yellow permeate the Park on some days, while on other days the haze is not as obvious yet still hides the deep blue Western sky from human eyes. Unlike in 1988, the Park is not experiencing any significant fires. And yet all around Yellowstone, in the states of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, forests and prairies, crops and lawns, towns and cities are being burned and blackened. It is the smoke from these numerous fires, mostly in Montana and Idaho, that presses upon Yellowstone in a foreboding manner. Despite the raging Western wildfires, Yellowstone remains open to the public, with only the South entrance being closed due to nearby fires in the Grand Teton National Park and surrounding area. Visions of 1988, the year of the Yellowstone's worst fire disaster, are unwarranted at this point. However, visitors should be aware that fires in surrounding states may impact any vacation plans over the next month or two. There are thousands of firefighters already on the front lines, with more arriving daily. Everyone here is praying for significant rain or an early snowfall. Not only is Yellowstone threatened, but so are the lives and livelihood of many people throughout Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. We ask for you prayers in this time of crisis and tragedy. |
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