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A road closure between the junctions at Lake Village and West Thumb remains in effect indefinitely due to fire activity along both sides of the road, and conditions at the Arnica Fire in Yellowstone National remain hazardous as burned trees are falling across the road.

The fire continued to hold at 9,300 acres early Tuesday, but is expected to burn actively as the day progress, especially during the peak afternoon burning period when temperatures are expected to be in the 60s.

Click here to read the full incident report at InciWeb.org.

The lightning-caused fire, which started on Sept. 13, grew slowly at first, but erupted over the weekend. It was estimated at four acres on Wednesday and by Thursday had grown to 250 acres with the onset of warm, dry, windy weather. By Friday evening it was estimated at 1,200 acres and by Sunday it had grown to 8,300 acres.

The fire held steady Monday in the area west and southwest of Bridge Bay and Lake Village and along the road near Arnica Creek with fire officials reporting an easy to moderate day for crews fighting the blaze. Fire information officer Bob Summerfield said winds were relatively calm and did not create many problems.

Weather is expected to change significantly with scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms expected Tuesday evening. Snow showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected after midnight with lows in the upper 20s.

Fire crews are working to control the fire in the Bridge Bay and Marina areas and are also to take precautions at Lake Village by setting up sprinklers and wetting down buildings, which includes the oldest hotel in the park.

The Elephant Back and Natural Bridge trails are closed due to the fire activity in these areas. The park is recommending visitors check at park visitor centers or backcountry offices for the current status of other hiking trails and backcountry campsites in the area.

No facilities have closed at this time due to fire activity. The Lake Village area is still accessible from the north, northeast and east entrances. The Lake Hotel and Lake Lodge are open for business. The Old Faithful area is accessible from the south and west entrances.

Assigned to the fire are 230 personnel. Helicopters have been dropping water on spot fires in the Bridge Bay marina area and will continue to drop water Tuesday west of Bridge Bay to check the spread of fire toward the Bridge Bay development. Firefighters have implemented protection for housing, lodges and historic buildings utilizing sprinkler systems, hose lines and fire engines.

Smoke from the fire can be seen at times from the Mt. Washburn Web cam in the park.

(from September 28, 2009)

The Arnica Fire in Yellowstone National Park has grown to 9,300 acres.

The fire has erupted over the last few days. It was estimated at four acres on Wednesday and by Thursday had grown to 250 acres with the onset of warm, dry, windy weather. By Friday evening it was estimated at 1,200 acres and by Sunday it had grown to 8,300 acres.

The road between the junctions at Fishing Bridge and West Thumb remains closed indefinitely due to fire actively burning along 1.5 miles of the road as well as an undetermined number of hazardous snags falling across the road. Snag removal will take place when conditions are safe for firefighters. The road will remain closed throughout the day Monday and throughout Monday night. An assessment of when the road might reopen will be made when it is safe to do so.

The barricade for the fire road closure is placed just south of the Lake Area junction, according to the park. Lake Hotel, Lake Lodge, and all other facilities in that developed area are accessible from the North, Northeast, and East Entrances. The Old Faithful area is accessible from the South and West Entrances.

The Elephant Back and Natural Bridge trails have been closed due to fire activity in these areas. Smoke and flames can be seen from the Grand Loop Road, and drivers are advised to use caution and drive slowly as smoke could reduce visibility.

Lightning ignited the fire on Sept. 13 in the Arnica Creek area north of West Thumb and southwest of Dryad Lake in Yellowstone National Park.

There are 230 personnel assigned to the fire, five helicopters and 15 engines. Helicopters will be used to drop water west of Bridge Bay to check the spread of fire toward the Bridge Bay development. Firefighters have implemented structure protection in the Lake area, utilizing irrigation systems and fire engines.

The fire is expected to burn actively under southwesterly winds, especially during the peak afternoon burning period when temperatures are expected to reach into the 60s. Smoky conditions are expected to affect air quality Monday and Tuesday.

The park suggests visitors consult visitor centers or backcountry offices for the current status of other hiking trails and backcountry campsites in the area.

An estimated containment date is Friday, Oct. 30. Click here to read the full report on InciWeb.org.

(From Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009)

The Arnica Fire burning in Yellowstone National Park grew to 1,200 acres as of Friday evening and is expected to keep growing over the next two days.

Grand Loop Road between Bridge Bay and West Thumb was closed Friday afternoon for safety reasons as the fire approached, but it was reopened later that day. However, people traveling in the park are warned that road closures may be necessary starting Saturday morning in anticipation of an active burn period, according to InciWeb.org.

The fire has erupted over the last few days. It was estimated at four acres on Wednesday and by Thursday had grown to 250 acres with the onset of warm, dry, windy weather.

Click here to read the full incident report at InciWeb.org.

Lightning ignited the fire on Sunday, Sept. 13.

Fire personnel are managing the fire for multiple objectives, using helicopters to cool the south flank, but allowing other areas of the fire to progress naturally. Access is difficult in the fire area, which has large areas of unburned fuels and few safety areas in the immediate fire area, according to InciWeb.org.

Smoke from the fire is visible at times from the Mt. Washburn Fire Lookout Web cam.

Smoky conditions are present and expected to continue during the afternoon peak burning period.

(From Sept. 24, 2009)

A new fire is burning west of Yellowstone Lake, the second fire to ignite in Yellowstone National Park in the last two days.

The Arnica Fire, located five miles west of the Bridge Bay Campground and the northwest shore of Yellowstone Lake, is burning in a flat area of mature lodgepole pine forest. The lightning-caused fire is estimated at four acres and is growing slowly, according to a news release from the park.

The fire is not burning near any hiking trails or backcountry campsites. Smoke from the fire is visible at times from the Mt. Washburn Fire Lookout Web cam.

The fire is not burning near any hiking trails or backcountry campsites.

This is the 20th fire reported in Yellowstone National Park this year.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Chaw Pass Fire was discovered about 3.5 miles east of Pebble Creek Campground on a ridge above the Cache Creek drainage. It is estimated at a half acre. Its cause remains under investigation.

Both the Arnica and Chaw Pass fires have the potential to grow in the coming days, due both to their location and to a weather forecast calling for clear skies and daytime highs in the 60s for the next few days, according to the park.

Other fires that are burning in Yellowstone at this time include the Rainbow Fire near Mammoth Hot Springs, which is about three acres in size, and has prompted the temporary closure of Sepulcher Mountain Trail.

The largest fire burning in the park is the Butte Fire, a lightning-caused fire estimated at 160 acres. After exhibiting a major growth spurt earlier this month, the Butte Fire in the Lamar Valley north of Soda Butte has not increased in size in several days.

While all of these fires may produce a visible smoke column at times, none of them pose a threat to visitors or area residents. All park entrances, roads, and seasonal visitor services remain open; with the exception of the road through Gibbon Canyon between Norris and Madison, which is closed due to construction.

The Rainbow and Chaw Pass fires may have some limited impact on hiking trails. Visitors are advised to check with park visitor centers or backcountry offices for the latest information before planning a day hike or overnight trip into areas near these fires. Visitors can call the Backcountry Office during normal business hours at 307-344-2160.