September 28, 2009 in City

Yellowstone Park fire grows fivefold

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BOISE – A wildfire in the southeast part of Yellowstone National Park had burned 13 square miles Sunday, and officials positioned fire hoses around the historic Lake Hotel as a precautionary measure.

Fire spokesman Bob Summerfield also said sprinklers have been set up around the perimeter of the popular Lake Village area and that other structures are being wetted down with fire hoses in case flames arrive.

“In addition to that, crews are doing quite a bit of work clearing out tree limbs and brush around buildings trying to improve defensible space,” he said.

He said the lightning-caused Arnica fire that was only 2.5 square miles on Saturday is burning about two to three miles from the Lake Village area. The blaze, which had grown to 13 square miles, or 8,300 acres, also is about two miles northwest of Bridge Bay with small spot fires within one mile.

Summerfield said the fire has reached a mile-long portion of the Grand Loop Road that connects West Thumb to Fishing Bridge and that the road was closed Sunday afternoon.

He said about 120 firefighters and five helicopters are trying to prevent the fire from crossing the road. He said there have been no injuries reported or structures lost.

Park spokeswoman Stacy Vallie said no evacuations have been ordered.

“We’re expecting some cooler temperatures and possibly snow as early as Tuesday,” said Vallie. “So we could see the fire lay down considerably.”

The three-story Lake Hotel was built in 1891 and restored in 1990.

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