Officials Lift Fire Restrictions in Yellowstone National Park

Effective noon Tuesday, September 13, 2016, officials will lift fire restrictions in Yellowstone National Park.

According to a Yellowstone press release, recent precipitation, including snow, has moderated fire danger throughout the Park.

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions were initially announced in early August as fire activity mounted in Yellowstone. Stage 2 Fire Restrictions went into effect September 1, 2016 after a few days of severe fire conditions. They were later lifted September 7.

Although restrictions have been lifted, officials caution that fire danger is still high in Yellowstone, with many fires showing growth over the past few days. Visitors should use extreme caution with fire in the outdoors.

In addition, the following activities are always prohibited in Yellowstone, irrespective of season or fire danger:

• Discharge of fireworks or firearms.
• Use of explosives or pyrotechnic devices.
• Abandoning or failing to attend a campfire.
• Driving a vehicle off-road.
• Smoking in all thermal areas.
• Wood fires at the Fishing Bridge RV Park, Shoshone Lake backcountry campsites, or any backcountry campsite that does not include a rock or metal fire ring.

Visitor fires in Yellowstone are only permitted in designated fire rings, grills, barbecues, or grates, which can be found in the Park’s 11 NPS- and concession-run campgrounds and in some backcountry campsites. Visitors are allowed to use self-contained gas and charcoal grills; with charcoal grills, visitors must wet, stir, and extinguish charcoal and ash once they’re finished cooking. Ashes must be cold to the touch before leaving.