Fawn Fire Grows To Over 900 Acres

Fawn Fire has now grown to an estimated 915 acres as of 11:30 a.m. Sunday, August 7.

We previously reported the fire had grown to 500 acres Saturday afternoon, after it was discovered Thursday, August 4.

According to a Yellowstone press release, smoke is visible from the following locations:

• Big Sky, Montana: 35 miles southeast.
• Gardiner, Montana: 13 miles southwest.
• Mammoth Hot Springs: 11 miles west.
• West Yellowstone: 16 miles northeast.

You can see a map of the fire’s location and its current spread below, courtesy of the National Park Service.

Although the fire grew exponentially Saturday, August 6, a thunderstorm that swept through that day helped put a damper on the Fawn Fire’s spread, depositing 0.17 inches of rain in the area. Crews report that Sunday has been cool, owing to additional rain and thunderstorm activity, adding they expect the Fawn Fire to have limited growth today. This weekend, there has been a total of 0.29 inches of rain. From a Yellowstone press release:

A change in the weather forecast for Monday calls for warmer and drier conditions. Typically, fire activity picks up in the afternoon as temperatures rise, relative humidity levels drop, and gusty winds increase. Fire activity is expected to increase in the coming days. Visitors and surrounding communities should expect varying levels of smoke through the day and smoke levels to increase during the afternoon.

[…]

The fire continues to play its natural role in the ecosystem and crews are managing it for its benefits to the park. The decision on managing each fire in the park is based on a number of factors, including current and predicted conditions, as well as potential values at risk.

There have been nine park fires so far this season; five were lightning-caused, four were human- caused. The Fawn Fire is the only fire now active in the park. The fire danger in Yellowstone National Park is currently “Extreme.”

Although the Fawn Fire still poses no threat to Yellowstone visitor hubs, closures are in effect for the following backcountry campsites and trails in the Fawn Pass area:

Campsites:

• WB1

• WB3

• WB4

• WB6

Trails:

• Bighorn Pass trail eastbound at the junction of the cut-off trail to the Fawn Pass Trail.

• Bighorn Pass trail westbound at Bighorn Pass.

• Fawn Pass trail eastbound at the junction of the cut-off trail to the Big Horn Pass Trail.

• Fawn Pass trail westbound at campsite 1F2.

UPDATE: Monday, August 8, fire crews in Yellowstone National Park took precautionary measures with regards to the historic Fawn Fire cabin, wrapping it in “aluminized structure wrap” to insulate it against the fire. According to the Park Service, the wrap can reflect up to 95 percent of radiant heat. You can see the crew’s work below.