Maple Fire September 10, 2016

Rain Checks Fire Growth As Heavy Fuels Smolder In Maple Fire

Wet conditions will continue to limit fire behavior in Yellowstone National Park today, although heavy fuels will continue to smolder.

Snow and rain swept through the Park Monday, limiting growth Tuesday, September 13, after a weekend of favorable fire conditions. Indeed, cooler temperatures and increased moisture kept fire growth minimal in Fawn, Central, Jasper, and Buffalo Fires.

Yesterday, officials lifted Stage 1 Fire Restrictions for the Park, reflecting changing ground conditions.

Air quality in the Park and around West Yellowstone is projected to be good. See the full report here.

According to a Yellowstone press release, Maple Fire currently measures 45,377 acres, with no reported growth since yesterday. Heavy fuels such as logs left by the 1988 fire continue to carry heat. Crews finished rehabilitating a control line established in the Cougar Creek and Gneiss Creek areas. Crews have also secured the perimeter and continue to patrol the fire’s edge.

We finally have an updated acreage for Buffalo Fire, after inclement weather prevented crews from conducting an infrared map flight. Buffalo now measures 12,195 acres. Crews finished clearing dead/downed trees from area trails and continue to monitor the Slough Creek area. You can see Buffalo Fire from the Mount Washburn Fire Lookout – Northeast Webcam.

Fawn Fire, meanwhile, now measures 2,702 acres—a scant 8-acre increase. It remains unstaffed.

Central Fire grew 42 acres and now measures 1,441 acres. It remains unstaffed. You can see it from the Mount Washburn Fire Lookout – South Webcam.

Finally, Jasper Fire has had no growth and is still 0.1 acres in size. It remains unstaffed.

Fawn, Central, and Jasper Fires continue to be monitored from the air.

Please note that while the fire season creeps on, parts of Yellowstone have started to close for the season. In addition, the road between Mammoth and Norris Geyser Basin is closed for a construction project. It will reopen October 7.

All other Park roads and visitor facilities, both NPS- and concessionaire-operated, are open at this time.

About Sean Reichard

Sean Reichard is the editor of Yellowstone Insider and author of Yellowstone Insider For Families 2017.

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