WAPITI, Wyo. — The Clearwater Fire, burning just east of Yellowstone National Park, has grown to 1,805 acres while a new, smaller fire has sparked a few miles away.
The Clearwater Fire is burning in the Elk Fork Canyon area of the Shoshone National Forest just below US 14, the highway that leads into Yellowstone’s east entrance. It has been growing since it started on July 19 from a lightning strike. By July 30, the fire had reached 1,000 acres.
The fire is now 11% contained, up from the 0% containment reported on July 30. There are currently 141 personnel fighting the blaze.
“The fire is burning on steep slopes in conifer forest, brush and dead and down logs,” a release posted by the Park County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) reported Wednesday, Aug. 7. These conditions are making firefighting efforts difficult, the release said.
Crews are taking various efforts to mitigate the Clearwater Fire by reducing fuel sources and monitoring to look for places where it might threaten US 14.
Drivers are urged to maintain a safe speed in the fire area along the highway. A U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer is posted on the corridor of the fire closest to the highway to control traffic there.
Current closures due to the fire include Elk Fork Campground, closed indefinitely, and Wapiti and Clearwater campgrounds, closed until fire conditions improve. Closed roads and trails include NFS #424, Elk Fork Road and NFS Trail #760 (Elk Fork Trail).
As the Clearwater Fire burns, a new fire, reported the afternoon of Aug. 6, has cropped up a few miles west. Dubbed the Goff Fire and located in the Goff Creek drainage just above US 14, this blaze is currently four acres in size and is thought to have been caused by lightning.
“Due to fire behavior, weather conditions and the standing dead trees that surround it, aviation was the primary resource used today,” the PCSO said on Facebook Tuesday. That effort involved three helicopters and two air tankers. PCSO says a plan is being made to combat the fire and more information on those decisions will be released soon.
This is a developing story and Buckrail will provide more information as it becomes available.
