2016 08 05 15 19 03 472 CDT

Buckrail- Several fires continue to burn in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.

The Berry Fire in Grand Teton National Park is currently burning 14,551 acres. The local Teton Interagency Fire Type 3 Incident Management Team has been managing the Berry Fire to protect the public, and park and forest infrastructure.  On Wednesday, there was a slight increase in visible smoke but there was no fire growth.  Today, crews are working to thin vegetation around the Sheffield Trail trailhead, and will create burn piles for a future prescribed burn. At the helispots that were used in support of the fire, crews are conducting repair work to help meet ecological objectives and minimize the human impact on the landscape.  Damage assessments are currently being done in coordination with the National Park Service.

Today and tomorrow a cool, dry trend will prevail with temperatures expected to remain in the mid-60s with west winds of 10-15, and gusts of 25 mph  Relative humidity will range as low as 20%, increasing fire behavior.

Currently, there are five fires actively burning in Yellowstone National Park — The Jasper Fire, Central Fire, Buffalo Fire, Maple Fire and Fawn Fire. Today, firefighters will begin conducting burning operations on the Maple Fire east of the Madison River. The goal is to remove unburned fuel and prevent uncontrolled spread of fire toward the town of West Yellowstone for both this and future fires. Ignitions are likely to begin in the afternoon when fuels are dry enough to carry a fire. Residents and visitors should expect increased smoke and fire activity. The operation is planned to continue for a few days.

The Cliff Creek Fire continues to burn south of Jackson. It is currently at 33,775 acres and is 97 percent contained. Last week, the Forest Service extended the area closure until September 30. A copy of the closure order and map is posted on the Forest website and at www.tetonfires.com.

There are Stage 1 Fire Restrictions in place for both Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park and the Bridger-Teton National Forest.

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