Yellowstone National Park officials announced Sunday, August 23rd that a lightning-caused fire near Old Faithful has forced the closure of some area roads and tourist attractions.
The park released the following information Sunday;
A lightning-ignited wildfire was reported on Saturday, August 22, at 5:15 p.m. about 3 miles south of Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park.
As of Saturday evening, the fire was estimated at 300 acres and not burning towards Old Faithful. Currently, staff are implementing protection measures for the Old Faithful area in the event the fire moves in that direction. Resources have been ordered.
The Grand Loop Road south of Old Faithful between Kepler Cascades and West Thumb closed temporarily on Saturday at 10:30 p.m. due to smoke. The road remains closed. Additional closures include: Backcountry campsites OA1, OA2, and OA3 Lone Star Geyser Trail Lightning activity has been heavy throughout the park this past week and fire danger is very high.
Campfires in the backcountry are not allowed. No photos of the fire are available at this time. Editor’s note: This is an emerging incident and the park will continue to provide current information when it is available. For updates, visit: https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/management/current-fire-activity.htm