The parkwide fire danger level for Yellowstone National Park is now VERY HIGH and Stage 1 fire restrictions have been put into effect. Those restrictions include charcoal or wood fire campfires in the backcountry, including those in established fire rings, smoking anywhere in the backcountry except immediately adjacent to the provided fire ring in designated campsites, and portable gas stoves and lanterns except in areas that are barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of them. In the front country, campfires are permitted in designated fire rings in developed campgrounds and day-use picnic areas. All campfires must be cold to the touch before abandoning. In addition to concerns about proper use of campfires, Yellowstone Fire Management Officer John Cataldo says those towing trailers should be sure they are properly hooked up.
Cataldo said, “We really ask people to make sure their vehicles and their trailers are in really good working order, particularly not dragging trailer chains. We get a lot of fires in the west from folks inadvertently dragging a trailer chain – and when that happens, they tend to start fires all the way down the road until we can get someone to catch up to them and hook those things back up the right way.”
Cataldo also emphasizes that fireworks are not permitted in the national parks, and this year, not in most of the surrounding communities as well.
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