Lone Star Fire expansion now at an estimated 3,346 acres

Lone Star Fire expansion was rapid in the last day, with the size of the Yellowstone wildfire now doubled at an estimated 3,346 acres, thanks to favorable weather conditions and lots of mature growth in its path.

Yesterday morning the size of the Yellowstone wildfire was an estimated 1,500 acres. This morning’s estimate of the Lone Star Fire expansion to 3,346 acres was quite a jolt, but not necessarily totally surprising. Officials had warned of potential growth as the fire moved toward a mature, unburned forest of spruce, fir, and lodgepole pine. The warm weather yesterday did not help.

Today’s forecast calls for only a high of 57 degrees with falling temperatures through the day, and a low of 17 degrees and a 90 percent chance of rain and snow, per weather.com. That’s good news in terms of slowing or even halting the fire. The 10-day forecast, however, does not call for more rain.

According to a National Park Service press release, the Wyoming Type 3 team and Yellowstone resource management crews will continue fuels reduction work around key infrastructure in the Old Faithful area, including power lines, historic buildings, and communication equipment. They continue to protect the area in case the Lone Star Fire shifts suddenly or another wildfire threatens it in the future. We may also see another closure of the Grand Loop Road between Old Faithful and Wet Thumb Junction if smoke limits visibility.

A map of closures can be seen below. Click here for a larger version.

Photo via InciWeb: A photo from Friday shows a column of smoke rising from the Continental Divide above the fire’s namesake, Lone Star Geyser. From Ron Steffens, Incident Commander.

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