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Road to Yellowstone National Park entrance closed by fire

According to Inciweb, Maple Fire now measures 27,101 acres and is burning through old growth timber and new material left by the 1988 Yellowstone fires.

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The Buffalo fire, now about 2,200 acres, is three miles south of the park boundary.

Park visitors who want to enter or exit through the south entrance will be unable to do so and the closure is expected to last several days.

Now 22,448 acres, the Maple Fire grew an additional 6,233 acres yesterday.

Lizard Creek Campground is now being evacuated. An infrared mapping flight was conducted Monday night.

The fire was lightning caused and has already burned 6,300 acres, northwest of Jackson Lake.

The Fawn fire, west of Fawn Pass, is now about 1,100 acres.

YNP officials say the South Entrance to the park has been closed in both directions, because of the Berry Fire which is burning in Grand Teton National Park, about 19 miles northwest of Moran Junction.

All the park’s main tourist facilities and roads were open Monday, but the flames were creeping toward a key road linking the West Entrance to the park’s interior.

West winds are expected again today, with lighter speeds (10-20 mph) and relative humidity will be 10-13 percent.

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In addition, contingency plans are in place should the fire force the closure of West Entrance Road, Johnson said. The National Weather Service is forecasting a significant cold front to move through the area that day, which should ease the fire danger significantly and disperse smoke that has socked in the northern valley. Due to its size, it is no longer considered a part of the Tatanka (Buffalo) Complex, which now consists of Buffalo and Fawn Fires.

Maple Fire