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Yellowstone entrance reopened after rain, snow cool wildfire

Park staff housed at the south entrance were evacuated safely. Authorities closed US 89/191/287 between the Lizard Creek Campground in Grand Teton National Park and Lewis Lake in Yellowstone.

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That road is a direct route from Jackson, through Grand Teton, into Yellowstone.

Open fires are permitted only in designated fire rings, grills, barbecues, or grates in the 11 developed campgrounds and some backcountry campsites. The fire raced over the highway that crosses through the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway between Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks.

The park sent three fire engines and several rangers to the Berry fire to help protect buildings. The weather made for minimal fire activity on five blazes burning inside the park, including the 45,000-acre Maple Fire outside West Yellowstone, Mont.

Winds gusting to 40 miles per hour Sunday afternoon expanded the Berry Fire to 20,801 acres and shut down Highway 89 and access to Yellowstone through the South Gate.

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Four to eight inches of snow were forecast to fall up until late Monday night with further snowfall also expected early Tuesday as temperatures dropped to 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius).

Revived wildfire closes Yellowstone park's south gate again