2018 Fire and Smoke Impact Reports

[maverick]

Inciweb:

The fire is currently 30 acres.

The Horse Creek Fire continued to grow slowly yesterday on the south flank in inaccessible wilderness within Sequoia National Park. The fire is highly visible for several miles on the south side of Mineral King Road. The fire is now 30 acres in size and 0% contained. Moderate fire behavior was observed during the day shift, with some isolated single tree torching, roll out, and short uphill runs. The fire was less active through the night. Fire crews have made good progress on the North and West flanks and are working to complete containment lines around the East and South flanks of the fire.

At 7:00 a.m. this morning, the South Central Sierra Interagency Type Two Incident Management Team assumed command of the fire and is working under a delegation of authority from Sequoia National Park. Firefighters are taking full suppression action on this fire and will continue to utilize both air and ground resources to contain the fire. An additional Hot Shot crew will be flown in to assist with fire suppression today. Due to the extremely steep terrain, dense forest and brush, large amount of tree mortality, and lack of trail access, this lightning-caused fire poses challenges for ground operations.


The Mineral King Valley is now under a Fire Advisory. The Mineral King Valley is seeing an increased amount of smoke, especially overnight. Due to this and the increased amount of fire personnel traffic on the Mineral King Road:

· Effective Monday, July 23, wilderness permit holders will not be able to start any trips from Mineral King trailheads until further notice. Walk-up permits will not be issued. Visitors currently on wilderness trips will be allowed to exit as planned.
· The Atwell-Hockett Trail and the Tar Gap Trail remain closed.
· Mineral King Campgrounds remain open but could close with little notice based on changes in fire behavior, smoke, and air quality.
· Only day-hiking is permitted on open trails.

For questions about wilderness permits, please call (559) 565-3766 or e-mail seki_wilderness_office@nps.gov.


At this time neither the road nor any structures are directly threatened by the fire, and the road remains open. However, visitors are strongly encouraged to consider recreation options other than Mineral King in order to minimize traffic on the road.

Tulare County offers a free automated alert service that issues notices of unsafe conditions and warnings to residents on the platform of their choice (e.g., SMS, email, landline). To sign up, visit https://alerttc.com/

[maverick]

More info:

[wildhiker]

Just a note on smoke in Sequoia-KingsCanyon. I just returned this morning from a 5 day backpack trip in Sequoia Park, from Wolverton via Alta Trail down to High Sierra Trail, then east to Tamarack Lake, Hamilton Lake, dayhike up to Kaweah Gap, and then back on the HST to Crescent Meadows. Trip was from July 18-22. As SSSDave describes, there is a pool of smoke in the eastern San Joaquin Valley from the Ferguson Fire and some of it gets pulled up the Sierra slopes. Smoke was definitely getting pulled into the Kaweah River drainage up to 7000 feet or so. But the higher country on my trip had clear blue skies. Well, the blue part was true in the mornings - it clouded up with rain and thunderstorms in the afternoon, but still good air. Before driving home this morning (7/23), I had a look from Panoramic Point in Kings Canyon Park by Grant Grove, which gives a view of the Sierra from Mt. Goddard south. A little bit hazy, but not bad. So at least as of now, trips in Sequoia-KingsCanyon should be good visibility.
-Phil

[maverick]

SEKI NP:

Firefighters continue to strengthen containment and build upon successful operations on the Horse Creek Fire.

The Horse Creek fire continued to hold at 30 acres in size overnight due to the successful work of fire crews during the day. The fire is currently 17% contained and firefighters expect to increase containment today with the addition of more Hotshot and hand crews.

Due to the remote location of this fire, which is burning in the John Krebs Wilderness Area of Sequoia National Park, helicopters continue to be used extensively not only for fire attack, but also to shuttle and resupply ground crews. Firefighters will continue full suppression actions today with both ground and air resources. Five helicopters are currently being utilized for aerial water drops while ground crews work to strengthen containment lines.

Firefighters continue to be challenged by steep terrain and high temperatures. However, a predicted stable air mass moving into the region will likely decrease the threat of thunderstorms. Fire behavior has remained moderate, with the fire creeping and smoldering along the ground. The South Central Sierra Interagency Incident Management Team remains in command of the fire and is working under a delegation of authority from Sequoia National Park.

The Mineral King Valley is now under a Fire Advisory. The Mineral King area may experience smoke impacts of varying intensity. Due to this and the increased amount of fire personnel traffic on the Mineral King Road:

- Effective Monday, July 23, wilderness permit holders will not be able to start any trips from Mineral King trailheads until further notice.
- Walk-up permits will not be issued.
- Visitors currently on wilderness trips will be allowed to exit as planned.
- The Atwell-Hockett Trail and the Tar Gap Trail remain closed.
- Mineral King Campgrounds remain open but could close with little notice based on changes in fire behavior, smoke, and air quality.
- Only day-hiking is permitted on open trails.

For questions about wilderness permits, please call (559) 565-3766 or e-mail seki_wilderness_office@nps.gov

At this time neither the road nor any structures are directly threatened by the fire, and the road remains open. However, visitors are strongly encouraged to consider recreation options other than Mineral King in order to minimize traffic on the road.

Tulare County offers a free automated alert service that issues notices of unsafe conditions and warnings to residents on the platform of their choice (e.g., SMS, email, landline). To sign up, visit https://alerttc.com/

For more information on the Horse Creek Fire, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5984/.

[maverick]

SEKI NP:

Attention, backpackers! We're pleased to announce that due to good progress being made on containment of the Horse Creek Fire, wilderness permit holders will be allowed to begin trips out of Mineral King-area trailheads again starting on Friday, July 27. At that time, the Atwell-Hockett Trail and Tar Gap Trail will reopen as well.

Wilderness permit applications need to be received at least two weeks in advance. A limited number of walk-up permits are available daily for all trails, on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning at 1pm the day before you wish to hike.

For trip planning advice, check out the Wilderness Trip Planner (pdf) at href="https://www.nps.gov/

For updates on the Horse Creek Fire, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5984</a><!-- m -->

[SSSdave]

18:26 now just checked EOSDIS Worldview July 25 image for today. Shows situation in San Joaquin Valley has considerably worsened in the last day as smoke has moved all the way down south on the east side of the valley to Bakersfield. Unfortunately there is no mechanism in the next week or two to get rid of that smoke just like summer smog just sits at that end of the valley sometimes for weeks. So far it has not worked its way up to crest areas but the daily cycle I described above could. At crest areas this will make unlikely any late afternoon or sunset photo work but mornings have a good chance of offering decent conditions. And areas east of the crest are going to get another round of monsoon flow after the weekend to clear that side up.

[maverick]

SEKI NP:

The Horse Creek Fire in the John Krebs Wilderness Area of Sequoia National Park remains at 30 acres in size and is 50% contained. Containment lines have been completed around the perimeter of the fire. Crews will continue to strengthen and secure the line to increase containment throughout the day while also mopping up hot spots. Residents and visitors on Mineral King Road can expect to see isolated smokes inside the containment lines for at least the next few days.

Helicopters will continue to be used today to shuttle crews and supplies to the remote fire location, as well as to provide water drops to assist with extinguishing hot spots. While the threat of thunderstorms still exists, a predicted stable air mass over the area will continue to decrease this threat over the fire area.

The Mineral King Valley remains under a Fire Advisory. Due to the increased amount of fire personnel traffic on the Mineral King Road:

- Effective Friday, July 27, the park will begin issuing wilderness permits for Mineral King trails that remain open. Permits can be picked up as early as 1:00 p.m. the day before entry. A limited number of walk-up permits will be available.

- The Atwell-Hockett Trail and the Tar Gap Trail remain closed.

- Mineral King Campgrounds remain open but could close with little notice based on changes in fire behavior, smoke, and air quality.

For questions about wilderness permits, please call (559) 565-3766 or e-mail seki_wilderness_office@nps.gov .

At this time neither the road nor any structures are directly threatened by the fire, and the road remains open. However, visitors are strongly encouraged to consider recreation options other than Mineral King in order to minimize traffic on the road.

Tulare County offers a free automated alert service that issues notices of unsafe conditions and warnings to residents on the platform of their choice (e.g., SMS, email, landline). To sign up, visit "https://alerttc.com/


For more information on the Horse Creek Fire, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5984/

[maverick]

SEKI NP:

The Horse Creek Fire in the John Krebs Wilderness Area of Sequoia National Park is currently mapped at 34 acres in size and is 62% contained.

Firefighters again stayed on the line overnight to monitor fire activity. They will work a shift today, then be replaced by a local park crew who will remain on the fire for several days. This crew will continue mop up and ensure that no burning material escapes from the containment lines.

Residents and visitors can expect to see smoke from inside the containment lines for the next few days.

Effective today, Thursday, July 26, 2018: the Mineral King area is no longer under a Fire Advisory.

Effective Friday, July 27, 2018: the Park will begin issuing wilderness permits for Mineral King trails, and the Tar Gap and Atwell-Hockett Trails are expected to re-open.

Wilderness permits can be picked up as early as 1:00 p.m. the day before entry. A limited number of walk-up permits will be available.

For questions about wilderness permits, please call (559) 565-3766 or e-mail seki_wilderness_office@nps.gov.

Tulare County offers a free automated alert service that issues notices of unsafe conditions and warnings to residents on the platform of their choice (e.g., SMS, email, landline). To sign up, visit https://alerttc.com/

For more information on the Horse Creek Fire, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5984/.

[maverick]

USFS:

The Lions Fire is estimated to be 4,124 acres and 85% contained. The new growth is in the Cargyle Creek area, south of Corral Meadow, on the Sierra National Forest.

The fire grew approximately 60 acres in size since it was reported to be active again. It is burning along the west flank in the Cargyle Creek drainage. The Lions Fire had been inactive for several weeks before this new activity was reported.

The fire is showing slow to moderate rates of growth and is burning in heavy fuels of dead and down and snag (standing dead trees) patches. The fire was active through much of last night and similar behavior is expected today.

Inyo National Forest’s Crew 2 and other local resources have been flown in to establish containment lines. They are looking for options to contain the fire as quickly as possible while considering firefighter safety in steep terrain and heavy fuels in the Ansel Adams Wilderness. There are two helicopters dedicated to the incident. More resources are on order.

The area has seen some rain and lightning in the recent days. Warmer and drier conditions are in the forecast, but there is still the potential for lightning and showers in the area.

There is currently no threat to life or property. Smoke may be visible from Minaret Vista, Devils Postpile, Mammoth Mountain, and areas along the Reds Meadow Road.

[maverick]

USFS:

July 26, 2018 / 7 AM Update
Ferguson Fire Info Line: (530) 377-6221 Media Line: (530) 377-6424/(213) 431-4041

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5927/

INCIDENT FACTS
Incident Start Date: 7/13/2018
Incident Start Time: 9:36 p.m.
Incident Type: Vegetation Fire
Cause: Under Investigation
Unified Command Agencies: U.S. Forest Service, CALFIRE, Mariposa County Sheriff
Incident Location: Merced River Canyon
Structures threatened: 5,236
Size: 43,299 acres
Containment: 27%
Expected Full Containment: Unknown
Civilian Injuries: 0
Civilian Fatalities: 0
Firefighter Injuries: 7
Firefighter Fatalities: 1
Engines: 241 Water Tenders: 47 Helicopters: 18 Crews: 94 Dozers: 63 Total Personnel: 3,686

Firefighters worked through the night to expand and strengthen containment lines around the #FergusonFire. The fire grew by 1,723 acres overnight to a total of 43,299 acres as of 6 a.m. Containment is at 27 percent.

Firefighters and bulldozers worked through the night improving and expanding containment lines, particularly near Magoon Creek, to isolate the spread of a fire that had slopped over an existing containment line the previous morning along the fire’s southern perimeter.

Along the north edge of the fire, bulldozers and firefighters completed a containment line from the Five Corners area to Pilot Peak. Meanwhile crews worked to dig a containment line from the boundary of the Stanislaus National Forest to the fire’s perimeter.

Crews were successful in completing containment lines around the community of Wanona along the fire’s east side. Firing operations expanded the width of the containment line protecting the community of El Portal to more than 500 feet in some areas.

While some residents were allowed to return to their homes in portions of Jerseydale and Mariposa Pines southwest of the fire, crews continued patrolling structures and monitoring containment lines within areas still under evacuation.

Yosemite National Park closure: Yosemite National Park officials enacted closures today for the Yosemite Valley and Wawona areas, as well as the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. For information on Yosemite National Park, go to: nps.gov/yose or call 209-372-0200.

Community Meetings: Representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE and Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office will present an overview of the current situation and containment efforts at two upcoming community meetings:

• Mariposa: 6 p.m. Thursday, July 26, at the Mariposa Fairgrounds, Sequoia Hall.
• Groveland: 6 p.m. Friday, July 27, at Tenaya Elementary School.

Mandatory Evacuations: Areas that are currently under a mandatory evacuation include:
• Anderson Valley
• Cedar Lodge/Indian Flat Campground
• East Westfall Road to Chowchilla Mountain Road, and all side roads
• El Portal Trailer Court
• Foresta
• Incline Road from Foresta Bridge to the last BLM campground
• Lushmeadows Community
• Old El Portal
• Old Yosemite Road
• Ponderosa Basin Community
• Rancheria Flat – Government Housing
• Savage’s Trading Post
• Tip Top Road from Triangle Road to Gunther Road, including Gunther Road
• Triangle Road from Darrah Road in the Lushmeadows area to Highway 49 South, and all side roads
• Yosemite View Lodge
• Yosemite West

Advisory Evacuations: This is NOT an Evacuation Order. This is an advisement only of a potential Evacuation Order should conditions change.
• Darrah Road from Triangle Road to Sherrod Road
• East side of Highway 49 South from Darrah Road to Triangle Road. This includes Boyer Road, Woodland Area, Wass Road and Tip Top Road.
• Mariposa Pines/Jerseydale Road
• Sweetwater Ridge
• Highway 49 South from Stumpfield Mountain Road to the Mariposa-Madera County Line, including Kemble Road, Stumpfield Mountain Road and Watt Road
• Triangle Road from Jerseydale Road to Highway 49 South, including all side roads.

Road Closures: Highway 140 is closed from the entrance of Yosemite National Park to 1.5 miles east of Midpines. Incline Road, River Road from Briceburg to the gate at Railroad Flat and all Campground areas along Highway 140 closed. Hites Cove/Jerseydale Road, Foresta Road, Anderson Valley Road, Summit Road and Old Yosemite Road.

Triangle Road from Darrah Road to Highway 49 South; East Westfall Road.

Chowchilla Mountain Road at Highway 49 South, Harris Road at Highway 49 South, Tip Top Road from Triangle Road to Gunther Road, all roads inside the Lushmeadows subdivision, and all roads inside the Ponderosa Basin subdivision.

Wawona Road (Highway 41) between Chilnualna Falls Road in Wawona and Bridalveil Falls Road in Yosemite Valley.
Red Cross Shelters:
• Mariposa Elementary School, 5044 Jones St., Mariposa, CA 95338
Animal Shelters:
• Small animals: Mariposa Elementary School, 5044 Jones St., Mariposa, CA 95338.
• Large animals: 5007 Fairgrounds Road, Mariposa, CA 95338.