The Nation - News from Sept. 2, 1988

Yellowstone National Park reopened its south gate for the first time in almost two weeks, but elsewhere in the West officials took measures to keep hunters, campers and fishing enthusiasts out of the woods over Labor Day weekend. In eastern Oregon, officials banned recreational users from 3.8 million acres of state-protected forest and rangeland. In Montana, the hunting season scheduled to begin this week has been postponed until Sept. 16 because of the fire danger. Ten major fires burned in the state, and one of two huge fires north of Yellowstone tore through a fire line and continued burning toward a dude ranch, fire officials said. All five gates to the park in Wyoming were open, but officials said worsening fire conditions could cause temporary closures.