Slough Creek Fire In Yellowstone Contained

A new fire was discovered Tuesday afternoon in the northeast section of Yellowstone National Park.

The Slough Creek Fire was reported about 4 o’clock Tuesday afternoon. It is located east of the Slough Creek Campground near the Slough Creek Trail and well north of the road linking Tower Junction and the park’s Northeast Entrance.

The fire was reported at one acre in size, and burning in sage and brush.

Two of the helicopters which were dumping buckets of water on the Beach Fire were temporarily reassigned to the new fire start.

The Chief Mountain Hotshots who had just arrived at park headquarters in Mammoth Hot Springs en route to an assignment to the Beach Fire were also reassigned to the Slough Creek Fire. This 20-person “Type 1” hand crew is expected to remain at the scene of the fire overnight.

The Slough Creek Campground has 28 campsites, and is a favorite spot for anglers.

No roads, campgrounds, or other facilities are closed. This fire poses no threat to park visitors.

The cause of the fire had not yet been determined. This is the fifth fire in Yellowstone National park this year.

The Beach Fire continues to burn west of the Bridge Bay area. It was reported at 385 acres Tuesday morning, and produced a visible smoke column Tuesday afternoon.

A small fire which was discovered in the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park late Tuesday afternoon has been contained. The Slough Creek Fire was reported about 4 o’clock Tuesday afternoon. It was discovered burning in sagebrush and Douglas Fir north of the Slough Creek Trail, and east of the Slough Creek Campground. The park’s wildland fire engine, two helicopters, and the Chief Mountain Hotshots were dispatched to suppress the fire. It was contained Tuesday evening at one acre. It is believed to have been human-caused.

The fire posed no impact to park visitors, and did not threaten the nearby Slough Creek Campground, which is popular with anglers.

This is the fifth fire in Yellowstone National Park this year. Two earlier small fires have been declared out. The Doane Fire east of Yellowstone Lake and south of the East Entrance road which is within the perimeter of the 2007 Columbine Fire, remains quiet and under an acre in size. The only fire actively burning in the park is the Beach Fire, located in the backcountry of the park several miles west of Bridge Bay Campground. It is reported at 515 acres and 20-percent contained.