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Yellowstone National Park officials report more new fire starts in the park because of continued extreme dry conditions and multiple lightning strikes yesterday. The East Entrance Road remains closed because of the East fire burning along several miles of it and dangerous snags falling across the road. There is no estimate of when it might reopen. No other park fires are near roads or buildings, and all facilities in the park remain open at this time. 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.
Grizzly Fire: The grizzly fire spread in several directions yesterday and is now about 120 acres.
Following is information on other active Yellowstone fires:
Union Fire: Estimated at 15 acres, this fire near the Pitchstone Plateau is spreading slowly to the north into a previously burned area. A confinement area is being established around the fire beyond which it will be suppressed. It is unstaffed today due to lack of resources.
Huck Fire: This is a small new start several miles northeast of the South Entrance. It will have 8 smokejumpers supported by a helicopter today.
Heart and Sour Fires: These are new smokes that have not been relocated since they were reported yesterday.
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 firefighting resources.
Today's weather forecast is calling for partly cloudy conditions with scattered showers and thunderstorms. High temperatures will be around 78 - 83 degrees, with relative humidity at 20 - 24 percent. Winds are expected to be from the southeast at 10 mph shifting to the southwest in the afternoon, with ridge top winds out of the southeast, then southwest in the afternoon at 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 59 fires during the 2003 fire season - 6 human caused and 53 lightning caused.
Additional Fire restrictions go into effect beginning today. 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: This fire grew to approximately at least 8,000 acres yesterday. It is producing considerable smoke, which at times spreads over large areas of the park.
For information on the East and Grizzly fires, contact Peter Frenzen or Greg Thayer, Fire Information Officers with the Grizzly-East Complex Incident Management Team, 307-242-9115.
Tyson Fire: This fire is now estimated at 80 acres in size. It is located in the Beaverdam Creek drainage east of the Southeast Arm of Yellowstone Lake. It will continue to be a high priority, with 2 park crews and and 2 light helicopters devoted to it. Portable pumps with hose lays will be used
for fire suppression.
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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