Lightning from recent thunderstorms has started a small fire in the western
section of Yellowstone National Park on the Central Plateau south of Gibbon
Falls.
The Gibbon Fire was discovered at 9:00 a.m.,Tuesday, July 26 by a park
research overflight. The fire is several miles southeast of Gibbon Falls.
It was named for its proximity to the Gibbon River.
The fire is three quarters of an acre in size, and burning in an area of
both mature and regenerated lodgepole pine forest close to where the 2006
Magpie Fire burned 3,200 acres in similar forest type. Smoke from the fire
will likely be visible from the Grand Loop Road between Gibbon Falls and
Madison Junction.
The Gibbon fire will be managed for multiple objectives including
protection of people and property, natural resource benefit, and the safe,
effective use of available wildland fire management resources.
No roads, campgrounds or trails are closed because of this fire, and it
poses no threat to visitors.
Yellowstone National Park is a fire adapted ecosystem. Fire plays an
important role in maintaining the health of the area’s wildlife habitat and
vegetation. Most fires occurring in Yellowstone are caused by lightning.
The fire danger in Yellowstone National Park is currently “Moderate.” The
National Weather Service forecast for the next several days calls for sunny
skies and breezy conditions, with daytime highs in the mid and upper 70s
and overnight lows in the low 40s.
Visitors are reminded that portable camp stoves and self-contained charcoal
grills may be used for cooking in all designated campsites and picnic
areas. But campfires are allowed only in established fire pits or grates
in campgrounds, picnic areas, and at specifically designated backcountry
campsites.
This is the fourth small fire reported in Yellowstone National Park this
year. Three other fires, reported June 8 and 30 and July 12, were also
caused by lightning. All were less than a quarter-acre in size and have
been declared out.
Updated information on the Gibbon Fire can be found on the Web at
http://inciweb.org/incident/2432/ or by phone 24 hours a day at
307-344-2580.
