A lightning-sparked fire in Yellowstone National Park is now covering an estimated 1,200 acres and is impacting traffic flows in the park.

Jon Jarvis, having been waiting in the wings for months, not surprisingly comes to the directorship of the National Park Service with a set of priorities that revolve around his employees, relevancy of the national parks, stewardship of their natural, cultural, and historical resources, and public education.

There are plenty of remote locations in parks where you can't call 911 when trouble strikes. There's been some lively discussion on the Traveler on the pros and cons of various electronic devices that can summon help in the backcountry, so here's an idea from two national parks in Australia: loaning personal locator beacons to backpackers—free of charge.

After weeks of political shenanigans that had nothing to do with Mr. Jarvis himself, the Senate has finally confirmed Jonathan Jarvis as Director of the National Park Service.