 
Back
To News/PR Index
|
|
Significant
2016 Wildfire Season – Yellowstone National Park
|
Yellowstone
National Park, WY – September 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / As
of September 21, 2016, 22
fires (human and lightning-caused) have burned more than 62,000 acres
in Yellowstone National Park, making it the highest number of acres burned
since the historic 1988 fire season when approximately 800,000 acres burned.
Of the 22 fires this year, four
(the Maple, Buffalo, Fawn, and Central fires) make up the majority
of the acres burned. The Boundary Fire was suppressed at 192 acres and
the remaining 17 fires were very small, together totaling only 14.18 acres.
Of these 17 fires, 12 were one-tenth of an acre or less in size; four were
between one-tenth to one acre; and one was 9 acres.
The
park protects human life and developed areas (e.g., roads, buildings, and
other infrastructure) from the threat of wildfire. At the same time, fire
is allowed to carry out its ecological role on the landscape as much as
possible. This season, 11 fires were immediately suppressed because values
were at risk. Seven fires were the result of human activity such as campfires
not being put out, vehicle operations, or improper cigarette disposal.
Fifteen fires were caused by lightning strikes.
The
five active fires – Maple,
Buffalo, Central, Fawn and Jasper – are being managed to allow fire
to perform its natural role in the ecosystem. Wildfire is an essential,
natural process. The largest of these fires, the Maple fire, has burned
over 45,000 acres.
As
fall approaches and brings with it cooler temperatures, shorter days, and
some recent precipitation, fire activity slows. Concentrations of down
trees in some of these fire areas will burn until snow blankets the Yellowstone
plateau. Visitors will see smoke rising within burned areas from time-to-time
as wind and warmer weather pass over the area. This will occur until enough
moisture accumulates to extinguish the hot spots.
Since
1988, the number of fires in Yellowstone
National Park has ranged from one to 78 in a given year. As seen this
year, lightning is the major cause of fires within the park. In an average
year, the park will see 26 lightning-caused fires. Human-caused fires are
still a significant contributor to the fire history within the park.
The
public hears much about the large fires that occur in Yellowstone, yet,
75 percent do not reach more than 0.25 acres in size. About 92 percent
never burn more than 100 acres. These fires occur in areas where fuel conditions
and topography limit the fire’s growth or they go out on their own due
to weather. Another factor in keeping the average size of fires low is
the quick response by the park’s fire crews to suppress any human-caused
fire.
Yellowstone
National Park’s management philosophy allows fires to play their natural
role in the ecosystem while protecting personal safety, natural and cultural
resources, and other significant values within the park. Many changes have
occurred within the Yellowstone ecosystem over the centuries and fire is
one of the influences that have made the park what it is today.
About
The National Park Service
More
than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 413 national
parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local
history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at
www.NPS.gov,
on Facebook Facebook.com/nationalparkservice,
Twitter Twitter.com/natlparkservice,
and YouTube YouTube.com/nationalparkservice.
Contact:
Morgan
Warthin, National Park Service, 307-344-2015 |
