Re: Yellowstone Antelope Fire Update

September 20, 2010 – 10:00 am

ANTELOPE FIRE

Reported: Tuesday afternoon, September 14, 2010
Location: Southeast of Tower Fall and west of the Yellowstone River
Cause: Lightning
Current Size: Estimated at 1600 acres – 5 percent contained

Overview:

The Antelope Fire was discovered Tuesday afternoon, September 14, by the Mount Washburn Fire Lookout. A lightning strike started the fire in an area of sage and grass on the northeast slope of Mount Washburn, between Antelope Creek and the Yellowstone River. Winds have pushed the fire upslope to the north and east into an area of Lodgepole pine in an area burned by the North Fork Fire in 1988.

Sunday’s Activities:

The Antelope Fire became very active and grew significantly Sunday due to gusty winds, low humidity and unseasonably warm temperatures. By midday, the fire had moved across a fire line which had been built on the north flank of the fire. An air tanker, several additional engines, and more firefighters were brought in to help stop the fire’s northwest spread by putting in a new control line and a hose lay. The Tower General Store and Tower Fall Campground were put on pre-evacuation notice as a precaution late Sunday afternoon. A section of road between Tower Fall and Canyon experienced several temporary closures due to firefighting efforts, and was closed for the night at 8:00 p.m. By evening, the fire was halted at one quarter mile from a section of the Grand Loop Road south of Tower Fall. Three engines and crews remained on the fire overnight to reinforce the new control line. They observed active fire behavior overnight. Monday morning, the fire was estimated at 1600 acres.

Monday’s Weather Forecast:

Cooler temperatures, higher humidity, and a chance of rain are forecast for the fire area for Monday. However, gusty southwest winds are also expected.

Monday’s Strategies:

Firefighters on the ground will continue to reinforce the new control line on the northwest flank of the fire, supported by helicopters and air tankers. They are also using chain saws to reduce the chance of the fire moving west across Antelope Creek and closer to the road. Structural firefighters and engines will remain at the Tower Fall area as a precautionary measure. Two air tankers, one Type 2 helicopter, one Type 3 helicopter, eleven fire engines, several West Yellowstone Smokejumpers, two squads of firefighters from Yellowstone National Park, and one 20-person firefighting hand crew from Missouri are among 80 people assigned to the fire.

Park Impacts:

The road between Tower Fall and Canyon was closed at 8:00 p.m. Sunday night due to visitor and firefighter safety concerns. As of 11:00 a.m., the road from Canyon to Chittenden Road is scheduled to reopen to visitors. The road between Chittenden Road and Tower Fall will remain temporarily closed to visitors until further notice. No park entrances are closed. No lodging, campgrounds, or other visitor facilities are closed.

Yellowstone National Park is a fire adaptedecosystem. Like the Antelope Fire, most fires occurring in Yellowstone are caused by lightning. Fire plays an important role in maintaining the health of the area’s wildlife habitat and vegetation. The Antelope Fire is being managed both to protect people and property and to enhance the area’s natural resources by safely and effectively using available firefighting resources. The Antelope Fire is the largest of the 11 fires that have occurred in Yellowstone this year.

Updated Information:

Updated road information is available 24 hours a day by calling 307-344-2117. When actively burning, smoke from the fire is visible along a large section of the Northeast Entrance road, and from Tower Junction to Dunraven Pass. It can also be viewed on the Mt. Washburn Fire Lookout Web Cam at http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm. Fire updates are available 24 hours a day by calling 307-344-2580, or on the web at http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2128/.

September 21, 2010 – 11:00 a.m.

ANTELOPE FIRE
Reported: Tuesday afternoon, September 14, 2010
Location: Southeast of Tower Fall and west of the Yellowstone River
Cause: Lightning
Current Size: 2,199 acres – 20 percent contained

Overview: The Antelope Fire was discovered Tuesday afternoon, September 14, by the Mount Washburn Fire Lookout. A lightning strike started the fire in an area of sage and grass on the northeast slope of Mount Washburn, between Antelope Creek and the Yellowstone River. Winds have pushed the fire upslope to the north and east into lodgepole pine in an area burned by the North Fork Fire in 1988.

Monday’s Activities: Scattered cloud cover on Monday brought higher relative humidity and cooler temperatures. Fire personnel saw moderate fire behavior with isolated burning in pockets of heavy fuel and little activity in the grass. This enabled firefighters to make good progress towards securing the north side of the fire perimeter. The road between the Tower Fall store and Chittenden Road (Mt. Washburn Lookout road) remained closed due to the fire’s close proximity to the road and safety of the firefighters working in the area. Three engine crews monitored along the Grand Loop Road overnight.

Tuesday’s Weather Forecast: Today is expected to be slightly warmer and drier with maximum temperatures in the low 60’s. Winds are predicted to be out of the southwest at 11-15 mph with gusts to 25 mph.

Tuesday’s Strategies: Firefighters on the ground will continue to reinforce the new control line on the northwest flank of the fire, supported by helicopters and air tankers. Crews will strive to keep the fire from moving west across Antelope Creek. Structural firefighters and engines will remain at the Tower Fall area as a precautionary measure. The southern end of the fire will continue to be monitored to allow it to play its natural role in the ecosystem. One Type 1 helicopters, two Type 2 helicopters, nine fire engines, several West Yellowstone Smokejumpers, firefighters from Yellowstone National Park, Gallatin National Forest and one 20-person firefighting hand crew from Missouri are assigned to the fire.

Park Impacts: Grand Loop Road between Chittenden Road (Mt. Washburn Lookout road) and Tower Fall store will remain closed to visitors until further notice. No park entrances are closed. No lodging, campgrounds, or other visitor facilities are closed.

Yellowstone National Park is a fire adapted ecosystem. Like the Antelope Fire, most fires occurring in Yellowstone are caused by lightning. Fire plays an important role in maintaining the health of the area’s wildlife habitat and vegetation. The Antelope Fire is being managed both to protect people and property and to enhance the area’s natural resources by safely and effectively using available firefighting resources. The Antelope Fire is the largest of the 11 fires that have occurred in Yellowstone this year.

Updated Information: Updated road information is available 24 hours a day by calling 307-344-2117. When actively burning, smoke from the fire is visible along a large section of the Northeast Entrance road, and from Tower Junction to Dunraven Pass. It can also be viewed on the Mt. Washburn Fire Lookout Web Cam at http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm. Fire updates are available 24 hours a day by calling 307-344-2580, or on the web at http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2128/

Antelope Fire Update 9/24/2010 10:30 am
Date: September 24, 2010
Contact: Al Nash, 307-344-2015

ANTELOPE FIRE

Reported: Tuesday afternoon, September 14, 2010

Location: Southeast of Tower Fall and west of the Yellowstone River

Cause: Lightning

Current Size: Approximately 3048 acres – 30 percent contained



Overview: The Antelope Fire was discovered Tuesday afternoon,

September 14th near the Mount Washburn Fire Lookout. A lightning

strike started the fire in an area of sage and grass on the northeast

slope of Mount Washburn, between Antelope Creek and the Yellowstone

River. The fire has spread through an area burned in the 1988 North

Fork Fire, where the fuels include lodgepole pine, tall dry grass and

abundant downed logs.



Thursday’s Activities: There was very minimal fire activity, with the

exception of a pocket of lodgepole regeneration located in the far

southeast corner. Very little burning continues in the fire’s

interior. Helicopter bucket drops were used to cool the south flank

of the fire, followed by small burnouts to contain its spread. By

Thursday evening, only the southeast corner of the fire was actively

burning.

The road between the Tower Fall Store and Chittenden Road (Mt.

Washburn Lookout road) is still closed due to morning and evening

smoke inversions and the safety of firefighters working in the area.

The Tower Store will close for the season at 12:00 noon today, Friday

September 24.



Friday’s Weather Forecast: As the weekend approaches, warmer and

drier weather will move into the area, with highs in the 60’s during

the day and lows in the 30s at night. Winds from the west will pick

up in the afternoons, averaging 15 mph.



Friday’s Strategies: Fire crews and helicopters will be working to

contain the southeast corner of the fire. The remaining perimeter is

unlikely to show activity, but monitors and lookouts will be in place

during the burn period. Objectives call for full containment in the

next few days, utilizing minimum impact techniques such as wetting

down only the areas that are still smoking after the fire has burned

out along a natural barrier.



Park Impacts: Grand Loop Road between the Tower Falls Store and

Chittenden Road (the Mt. Washburn Lookout road) will remain closed to

visitors until further notice. No park entrances are closed. No

lodging, campgrounds, or other visitor facilities are closed.



The Antelope fire is helping Yellowstone National Park achieve its

fire and resource management goals. Yellowstone National Park is a

fire adapted ecosystem, and fire plays an important role in

maintaining the health of the area’s wildlife habitat and vegetation.

The Antelope Fire is being managed both to protect people and property

and to enhance the area’s natural resources by safely and effectively

using available firefighting resources. It is the largest of the 11

fires that have occurred in Yellowstone this year. The Antelope fire

has also provided a new fuels buffer that will increase the

defensibility of the Tower developments in the event of future fires

in the Mount Washburn area.



Updated Information: Updated road information is available 24 hours a

day by calling 307-344-2117. When actively burning, smoke from the

fire is visible along a large section of the Northeast Entrance road,

and several locations in the park. It can also be viewed on the Mt.

Washburn Fire Lookout Web Cam at

http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm. Fire updates are

available 24 hours a day by calling 307-344-2580, or on the web at

http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2128/.

The road south from the Tower Fall General store over Dunraven Pass to Canyon will reopen Sat. Sept. 25.