Yellowstone National Park firefighters are working to contain the Ash Fire, a lightning-sparked blaze discovered in the park’s remote Bechler region on July 30 during a routine aerial patrol. What began as a roughly 10-acre spot fire had grown to about 26 acres by August 1, prompting the park to close backcountry trails and campsites in the surrounding area for public safety.
Park officials say the fire was likely ignited during an intense lightning event that produced more than 350 strikes across Yellowstone in a single 24-hour stretch in late July. Crews have assigned roughly 25 personnel to the response, including U.S. Forest Service smokejumpers, a Type 3 helicopter, a heavier helicopter for water drops, and the park’s own dedicated fire module.
The Bechler area, sometimes called Yellowstone’s “Cascade Corner” for its waterfalls and remote soaking pools, is one of the park’s least-visited but most prized backcountry destinations. Hikers with permits for the closed zone are being contacted directly, and the park is urging visitors to check current fire and trail status before setting out on any Bechler-area itinerary this month.
Yellowstone has battled several smaller wildland fires already this summer amid a dry, lightning-heavy pattern across the northern Rockies, echoing a similar blaze that closed Canyonlands’ Needles District in Utah. Officials have not set a containment target for the Ash Fire and say closures will remain in place until fire behavior and smoke conditions improve enough to reopen the area safely.
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