Yellowstone National Park official have raised the parkwide fire danger level to HIGH and wants to remind visitors about campfire safety protocols. Campfires in Yellowstone are only permitted within established fire rings in park campgrounds and some select backcountry campsites. Campers should never leave campfires unattended and make absolutely sure they are cold to the touch before abandoning fires using the “soak, stir, feel, repeat” technique.
The Greater Yellowstone area is a fire-adapted ecosystem and fire plays an important role in maintaining the health of its wildlife habitat and vegetation. The National Park Service may decide to allow lightning ignited fires to burn in Yellowstone if they do not pose a threat to human life and property. During an average year, Yellowstone has approximately 24 fires (80% of which are caused by lightning).
The park actively protects human life as well as the approximately 2% of Yellowstone’s 2.2 million acres that are considered developed (roads, buildings, and other infrastructure). This includes the nearly 2,000 buildings inside Yellowstone but at the same time park officials will let natural wildfire carry out its ecological critical role in the landscape as much as possible.
