Yellowstone Insider Your Complete Guide to America's First National Park
With the Alum Fire growing, the National Park Service has closed 13 miles of the Grand Loop Road in Yellowstone National Park between Fishing Bridge Junction to the South Rim Drive of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
During this temporary closure, all travel between Canyon Junction and the Fishing Bridge, Lake Village and Bridge Bay area requires a long detour through Old Faithful.
The Alum Fire grew by about 500 acres yesterday, and the fire perimeter is now estimated to cover 4,500 acres.
All other roads in Yellowstone are open, as are all park entrances, lodging, stores, campgrounds and other visitor services.
It is unknown how long this section of the road will be temporarily closed to travel. Thunderstorms are predicted for Wednesday night and Thursday.
The fire perimeter remains within a mile of the Grand Loop Road south of Mud Volcano, and there is the potential for temporary closures of the road between Canyon Village and Fishing Bridge Junction.
Mud Volcano, LeHardy Rapids, and several picnic areas and pullouts, as well as some backcountry trails in the area are temporarily closed.
More firefighting personnel and equipment are arriving daily, with an estimated 150 fire personnel expected to be on hand in Yellowstone by Tuesday evening. Multiple structural and wildland fire engines and portable pumps and hoses are now located in the Lake, Fishing Bridge, and Bridge Bay area. Fire mangers continue focus on protection of the road corridor, the boardwalk in Mud Volcano, and on structure protection efforts in Fishing Bridge, Lake Village and Bridge Bay.
Updated park road information is available 24 hours a day by calling 307/344-2117.
