Magpie Fire Activity Remains Quiet

Date: July 25, 2006
Contact: Nash, [phone]
Contact: Vallie, [phone]

Another day of favorable weather in Yellowstone National Park kept the Magpie Fire in check Monday. A second day of cloudy skies, light winds and higher than normal humidity all resulted in no appreciable growth. The fire remains estimated at 805 acres.

Despite recent cooler weather conditions, the fire danger in the park remains high. The forecast calls for warmer, drier conditions starting Thursday, which could cause fire activity to increase.
 
There have been five wildland fires in Yellowstone National Park this year. Northeast of Tower Junction, the Bison Peak Fire continues to smolder after burning an area the size of a typical home.  Three other fires have been declared out after burning less than an acre each.   

When actively burning, the Magpie Fire can produce smoke visible from or along nearby roads and developed areas. There are currently no fire restrictions in the park. All visitor services, park entrances and roads are open. There are limited hiking trail closures in the vicinity of the fire. A temporary flight restriction is in place to ensure private aircraft don’t interfere with ongoing fire operations.

The Magpie Fire was spotted last Monday evening about 7 miles east of Madison Junction. It is burning in a section of mature lodgepole pine which is completely surrounded by an area burned in 1988.

Firefighters are monitoring the fire’s growth on the ground, from the park’s three fire lookout towers, and by regular over flights. The Magpie Fire is being managed as a Wildland Fire Use for Resource Benefits. The fire supports the park’s goal of allowing natural fires to play their role in the ecosystem when they do not threaten any park visitors or property.

At times the Magpie Fire is visible from the Mount Washburn Fire Lookout web cam at http://www.nps.gov/yell/tours/livecams/mtwashburn. Updated information is posted to Wildland Fire section of the park web site at http://www.nps.gov/yell/technical/fire and to the InciWeb Incident Information System web site at http://inciweb.org.