Date: August 25, 2006
Contact: Nash, (307) 344-2010
Contact: Vallie, (307) 344-2012
Two man-caused fires were reported on Thursday. Both were small and immediately suppressed in accordance with park policy for man-caused fires. There have been 13 fires in Yellowstone this season; 9 lightning-caused and 4 man-caused.
The Magpie Fire 7 miles east of Madison, was flown and mapped at 2,074 acres, on Thursday. This is an increase of 22 acres from Wednesday. Several spot fires were observed in front of the northeastern flank near the head of the fire where the burning was most active. The fire continues to remain well within the predefined maximum management area.
The Stinky Fire, burning 19 miles southeast of Tower Junction, was less active on Thursday. Various fire-fighting personnel were called in and worked to halt the eastward advance of the fire to prevent it from burning onto adjoining national forest lands, approximately three air miles to the east. Burning inside the perimeter and more accurate mapping now places the fire at 1,010 acres, an increase of 219 acres from the previous day’s report.
Neither of the park’s two small fires – the Pumice Fire near Pumice Point on Yellowstone Lake or the Dryad Lake Fire several miles west of Bridge Bay – is actively burning. Both have been contained and are being patrolled.
Today’s weather forecast is calling for mostly cloudy skies with a 40% chance of thunderstorms; southwest winds at approximately 15 mph, with possible gusty winds in the afternoon, and highs averaging in the mid-60s. Generally warmer and drier weather conditions are predicted for the next week.
All visitor services, park entrances and roads are open. None of the park’s fires are a threat to visitors or developed areas in the park.
While fire danger in the park remains high, there are no fire restrictions in effect at this time. The Stinky Fire is a suppression fire managed in a confinement strategy for economic and safety reasons. It is in deep wilderness and poses no threat to visitors or resources. The Magpie Fire is being monitored on the ground, from lookout towers and by over flights, and is carefully evaluated on a daily basis to determine what actions are appropriate.
The larger fires may produce smoke columns that are visible for several miles. Fire activity in the park and throughout the western region is causing an increase in smoke accumulations over portions of the park and may settle at times in low lying areas, especially in the morning hours.
The Stinky Fire can be viewed in real-time by watching 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.
