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Date: June 19, 2006
Contact: Nash, (307) 344-2010
Contact: Vallie, (307) 344-2012

A lightning-caused fire approximately 4.5 miles west of Mary Mountain in central Yellowstone is putting up a smoke plume visible along many of the park's roadways. The smoke plume from the fire can also be seen online from the Mount Washburn FireCam at http://www.nps.gov/yell/firecam.htm.

The Magpie Fire is located approximately seven miles east of Madison Junction near Magpie Creek. It has burned about 50 acres of lodgepole pine since it was discovered Monday, July 17, at approximately 6:45 p.m.  It is burning in an area surrounded by the 1988 North Fork Fire burned area.
 
Fire monitors are evaluating the fire’s growth and any weather changes that could affect fire behavior. The fire is also being monitored from fire lookout towers and by daily aerial reconnaissance. The Magpie Fire is being managed as a Wildland Fire Use for Resource Benefits since it supports one of the park’s fire management goals of allowing natural fires to play their role in the ecosystem and does not threaten any park visitors or property.

Currently, there are no trails or backcountry campsites closed as a result of this fire.

The park has received normal to above normal rainfall this spring and summer.  The park’s current Fire Danger Rating is High.
 
There have been five wildland fires in the Yellowstone this year; three are currently burning with the Magpie Fire being the only active fire at this time.  The other two fires remain under one-tenth of an acre in size. 

Updated fire information is available at http://www.nps.gov/yell/technical/fire/index.htm.