The Maple Fire in Yellowstone covered more than 30,000 acres/NPS
Hard work by firefighters battling the Berry Fire in Grand Teton National Park allowed officials on Tuesday to reopen the South Entrance to Yellowstone National Park, a week after the wildfire forced its closure.
Officials cautioned motorists, though, to "drive carefully through the stretch of highway from the South Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The highway pullouts along the highway in the Berry Fire area will be closed. Firefighting traffic will continue to use the roadway. The parking pullouts, and Flagg Ranch as parking areas and supply staging zones. However, the parking area at the north entrance sign to Grand Teton National Park will be available to the public. Please drive through the fire area cautiously, as fire traffic will continue to use the road."
The Berry Fire was burning across roughly 13,200 acres in Grand Teton National Park and the Bridger-Teton National Forest to the east. It was not expected to be contained before October, barring a very moist weather event.
In Yellowstone, meanwhile, the park's largest fire, the Maple Fire, had covered more than 33,000 acres and was creating some problems for motorists due to smoke.
"Traffic control will be in place on the West Entrance road when needed, and burnout operations are anticipated to take place along the West Entrance to Madison Junction administrative site road if the fire reaches the Madison River," Tuesday's fire briefing said. "A night shift is in place to assist traffic control along the West Entrance Road and Highway 191 north of West Yellowstone as needed."
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