Follow the Flames

Sponsored by The Nature Conservancy in Idaho

• Location: Wyoming
• Travel Type: Driving
• Tour Duration: 1 hour
• Language:

About This Tour
In the summer of 1988, record-breaking hot temperatures, dry conditions, and high winds produced unprecedented—and largely uncontrollable—forest fires in the world’s first national park, Yellowstone National Park. Towering walls of flame threatened nearby towns and treasured park buildings. Thousands of firefighters risked their lives in the battle but could not hold back the inferno. On the worst day of the fire, dubbed Black Saturday, thick, white smoke columns rose more than 20,000 feet above the park. They were visible even from space! Media coverage was intense and dramatic. The country—and the world—watched in collective horror as America’s iconic natural wonderland was engulfed in flames.
 
The 1988 fires were finally extinguished, not by people, but by a gentle blanket of September snow. By then, 800,000 acres—36 percent of the park—had burned. At the time, many thought that this special place would never recover. But in the fires’ aftermath, Yellowstone and many of its beloved plants and animals not only survived—they thrived. The shocking 1988 fires taught us a valuable lesson about the role fire plays in keeping natural landscapes healthy.
 
This tour takes you back in time to imagine what Yellowstone was like during the terrifying summer of 1988. With firsthand accounts from firefighters and witnesses, you’ll learn why Yellowstone burned and how it felt to be on the front lines of those raging fires.
 
This tour also highlights the bigger story of what fire has meant to the natural world—and to different people and cultures throughout history. Through an immersive, multimedia presentation, the tour illuminates the past and future of Yellowstone—and the complex relationships between humans and the powerful forces that shape this planet.
 
Tour Highlights Include:
●     The 25,000+ firefighters who faced the 1988 Yellowstone conflagration, including members of the Army and Marines, and even a contingent of local farmers
●     The astonishingly close call for Old Faithful Inn, one of the largest log-style structures in the world
●     The ingenious way that lodgepole pines use hot fires to spread their seeds
●     A fire-friendly beetle whose impact on the landscape is more complex than its bad reputation implies
●     The intuitive ways in which Yellowstone’s iconic wild animals survive wildfires
●     Indigenous peoples’ generational wisdom about the value of fire in nature (including authentic stories told by members of the Northern Arapaho Tribe)
●     Changing attitudes about wildfire suppression and new plans for facing a future affected by climate change
●     And much more!
 
NOTE: Yellowstone National Park has very limited Wi-Fi and cell service. Before entering the park, be sure to download this tour completely to your phone when you have good Wi-Fi or cell service. After a successful download, the tour will work both on-site and remotely without cell service or Wi-Fi.
 
Tour Sponsors
This tour is brought to you by The Greater Yellowstone Fire Action Network and The Nature Conservancy, two organizations committed to restoring fire to keep forests and the ecosystem healthy.
 
Find More Tours Near You
If you are interested in more audio tours in and around Yellowstone, check out Yellowstone National Park: Southwest Grand Loop, Gaper Guide South Yellowstone and North Yellowstone, Cody to Yellowstone, and Grand Teton National Park. To find more tours wherever your travels take you, visit TravelStorys.com. Every place has a story!