Lightning-ignited structure fire burns historic Mount Holmes Fire Lookout in Yellowstone

The historic Mount Holmes Fire Lookout burned to the ground after having been struck by lightning during a severe thunderstorm in the area Tuesday afternoon.

The fire lookout is located southwest of Mammoth Hot Springs and north of Madison Junction.

The structure fire also damaged a park radio repeater.

Three employees, including the park fire chief, attempted to fly to the 10,000 ft lookout via helicopter to assess the damage Wednesday; however, the flight was postponed. The helicopter was diverted to a higher priority incident outside the park. While en route, the helicopter manager snapped a photo of the burned lookout.

Wednesday afternoon, staff attempted to fly to the lookout again but were grounded due to strong winds.

Additional attempts will be made in the next few days.

As of Wednesday, the Mount Holmes Trail west of the junction with the Trilobite Lake Trail and the summit of Mount Holmes are closed. The closure will remain in effect until the unsafe conditions are assessed, mitigated, and no longer pose a threat to public safety.

“Built in 1931, and renovated in 1998, the Mount Holmes Fire Lookout maintained its historic-era role as one of Yellowstone National Park’s staffed lookout stations until 2007. The building was eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, both for its significance in early park resource protection efforts, and as an outstanding example of the rustic architectural style that typified early park architecture. We are disappointed that this historic structure, as a window into the past, is gone,” said Yellowstone National Park Deputy Superintendent Pat Kenney.