Fires burn in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks

[Guest Photounit]

There are numerous fires now burning in both the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks at this time....Here are a few photos.......

All photos copyright 2009 - Bill Johnson/All rights reserved

A fire suppression helicopter flies towards the Grand Tetons range to refill in the Snake River......

The smoke from a fire burning at the northern base of the Tetons blends with the sunset....

Another shot of the smoke covered Teton sunset.......

This is a shot the Arnica fire that is burning near Yellowstone Lake taken from the west side of the park on Saturday. It was started by lightning on September 13th and as of this writing has consumed 9300 acres.

Here's a shot of the smoke plume from within Yellowstone...... This was taken from the east side at 3:00pm on Friday. The sky around the fire was bright blue with not a cloud in sight but this plume brought an early sunset to part of the park.....

[efdny2003 16]

Those shots are amazing. The amount of smoke being produced from those fires is amazing. The last shot looks like the entrance scene of the aliens from "Independence Day" with the large plumes of smoke then the space ship pushing through.

[firedude 985]

WOW! Nice shots! Thanks For Sharing them.

[x129K 1,393]

Holy road trip!

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Great shots. I love the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, even during the crazy summer rush I still think they are some of the best national parks in the country. The beauty of the land and the degree of wild nature and preservation still in the parks is astonishing...they honestly are some the most beautiful places on the planet.

When I was there last two or three years ago almost the entire Northern Section of Yellowstone in Montana was closed due to wildfires.

PS. The photo third from the top is spectacular......I think it maybe the greatest shot I have seen of the Grand Tetons from a picture or real life I have ever seen.

Edited September 28, 2009 by bvfdjc316

[Guest Photounit]

Psst..... Hey,........ You didn't bring that guy Dan with you did you???????? No, Whew..... I'm safe......

[FFFORD 27]

Great shots!

I just got back from both yellowstone and Grand teton at the end of august. what an amazing place. I recognize some of the photos, but no fire when i was there.

[x129K 1,393]

Psst..... Hey,........ You didn't bring that guy Dan with you did you???????? No, Whew..... I'm safe......

Mmmmmmmmmm..............elk backstraps!

[IMAFF 2]

Simply amazing, I am in awe of your talent and eye for detail. I would suggest you submit some of these (2nd & 3rd pics) to some outdoor photography magazines.

[ckroll 101]

Simply amazing, I am in awe of your talent and eye for detail. I would suggest you submit some of these (2nd & 3rd pics) to some outdoor photography magazines.

That part of the world is where I come from and fire is a part of the process. Some of these are the finest pictures I've seen taken. If anyone is interested in what it's like to fight fire out there,

Young Men and Fire by Norman McClean about the Mann Gulch Fire that took 14 lives in 1949 is probably the best account of the subject. Every fire fighter should read it.

A five pointer? That elk's a yearling.

[64FFMJK 21]

A five pointer? That elk's a yearling.

Yummmmmm It will be tasty and tender

[RescueKujo 130]

Bill, greats shots. May I suggest submitting the last photo of the pyrocumulus cloud (the ice capping of the snoke plume) to Wildland Firefighter magazine.

[Guest Photounit]

Bill, greats shots. May I suggest submitting the last photo of the pyrocumulus cloud (the ice capping of the snoke plume) to Wildland Firefighter magazine.

Thanks all/Duane...... I had no idea what I was seeing ..... All I knew is it was something I had never seen before and it was impressive...... Here's some interesting info about the Pyrocumulus cloud - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrocumulus_cloud

I was staying in a condo some 14 mile from this point..... Due to the road being closed as a result of the fire and a second road being closed due to construction, we had to drive 240 miles to get back to our condo - There was no other way! This happened to us twice..... Can you imagine having your Fire Police tell people that the road is closed due to a fire and you now have to take a detour that will add 226 miles to your normal 14 mile drive home!!!!!

[firecapt32 282]

Amazing the things you can learn in here---I too was in Yellowstone and the Teatons this summer. Truly an amazing place ,took a 10 day national parks tour, trip started in Salt Lake City and ended in Mount Rushmore. Trip of a life time--What was a New Yorker like me doing in a rodeo in Wyoming?? rooting for the bulls over the Cowboys--gotta hate cowboys no wait thats the Dallas Cowboys you gotta hate:) It truly was an adventure and the answer is no for all concerned. No horses were ever in trouble. My fat a** wasent getting on animals.

[DOC22 1]

BILL!!!!!!!!

Awesome shots!!!! your talent and eye for detail, is something I could only wish for. I think these are among the best pictures I've ever seen!!!!!