West Fork Fire near West Yellowstone grows to 300 acres
News Team
WEST YELLOWSTONE, Montana (KIFI) — The West Fork Fire, located northwest of West Yellowstone and Hebgen Lake, has grown to nearly 300 acres since it started on Tuesday, August 19. While it is not currently threatening Big Sky, crews with the Custer Gallatin National Forest are asking the public for cooperation as fire crews work to contain the blaze.
Courtesy: Custer Gallatin National Forest
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Gallatin County, which remains in effect until 10 p.m. tonight. The warning, indicating high fire danger, comes as multiple resources have been deployed to assist with fire containment efforts.
Officials are urging the public to cooperate with fire crews to ensure their safety and the success of firefighting operations. Residents and visitors are asked to refrain from flying drones in the area, as “this will cause all firefighting aircraft to be grounded immediately.” The public is also advised to stay away from aviation working at Hebgen Lake.
While no evacuations have been ordered, Custer Gallatin National Forest is expected to issue closures for trails and roads within the fire area later today. Due to the ongoing fire and the Red Flag Warning, the public is advised to stay away from the Taylor Fork and Beaver Creek areas until further notice.
For alerts on the latest updates on closures and the fire’s impact, click HERE.
ORIGINAL:
WEST YELLOWSTONE, Montana (KIFI) — Fire crews in Montana are responding to an active vegetation fire northwest of West Yellowstone and Hebgen Lake. The fire has been dubbed the West Fork Fire and has grown to around 50 acres, according to Watch Duty.
Video sent in by Stephen Wilkinson shows a large column of smoke that is reportedly visible from the West Yellowstone Airport. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
This is a developing story. Local News 8 will provide additional updates as more information becomes available.