New Wildfire Sparked East of Yellowstone Park in Wyoming; Other Fires Ongoing

CODY, WY. (AP) — A new wildfire has grown rapidly east of Yellowstone National Park in northwest Wyoming.

The fire was reported Monday evening in the Washakie Wilderness about 40 miles west of Cody and south of U.S. 14/16/20. It quickly spread because of gusty winds and burned an estimated 4,581 acres of forest, with no containment reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Elsewhere in Wyoming, investigators say a weekend fire just outside Jackson was sparked by foil balloons that came into contact with power lines, causing sparks and burning balloon material to ignite dry grass. Firefighters were able to keep the fire away from nearby homes.

Firefighters have gained about 37 percent containment on a fire burning near the Pathfinder Reservoir in central Wyoming.