After a few days of furious activity, the June Fire outside Yellowstone National Park has quieted down considerably.
Its estimated size is down from approximately 2,000 acres to 1,618 acres.
The news comes as somewhat of a surprise, given the alarm residents and officials alike greeted the fire. Indeed, crews were projecting the fire to burn through September, with Yellowstone National Park offering water from Yellowstone Lake to help combat the fire. This offer was later tabled when crews reassessed their water needs.
The pitch of intensity was understandable. June Fire is still one-and-a-half miles from U.S. Highway 14/16/20; if it creeps any further north, it could close the highway and the East Entrance. It’s also 34 miles from Cody, Wyoming, prompting concern from residents.
According to Inciweb, the fire received several days of precipitation last week, curbing its growth significantly. Further, as of July 26, the perimeter is 70 percent contained. It is currently smoldering, although it has potential to ramp up activity if it pushes further downslope east. The fire is still projected to burn through September, but at a far lower intensity.
We will report any changes to the June Fire should they arise.
Earlier this summer, Yellowstone projected an average fire season for 2017, with the expectation of some wildfires. So far, however, there have been (with the exception of June Fire) no major blazes in or within the vicinity of the park—a surprising situation given the amount of activity around neighboring states like Montana, which has had to declare a fire emergency.