2021 Fire/Smoke Impact Reports

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More progress.

SEKI NP:

Acres: 87,145acres (based on infrared flight)
Containment: 20%
Start Date: September 10, 2021
Cause: Lightning
Jurisdiction: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park; Sequoia National Forest
Resources: 1,972 personnel including: 40 crews, 114 engines, 36 water tenders, 21 dozers and 14 helicopters

Announcement: KNP Complex North and South Zone Virtual Community Meeting will be held Sunday October 10, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be live streamed to Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park Facebook Page and Sequoia National Forest Facebook Page. Please email 2021.knp@firenet.gov with questions prior to the meeting.

North Zone: Yesterday, on the north end of the fire, crews worked to mop up hot spots still smoldering after Wednesday night’s burning operation. Firefighters also worked around structures in Wilsonia and nearby sequoia groves. Rain fell on the fire yesterday with some areas receiving up to three-tenths of an inch, significantly decreasing fire behavior. Unfortunately, because of the hazards of rocks and snags falling down slope firefighters were unable to engage directly on the east side along Generals Highway. Humidity will remain high today and the fuels will remain moist. Although the potential for the fire to be spread by rolling materials still exists, the chances of forward progress are minimal.

South Zone: After many weeks of hard work, containment has increased along portions of the western perimeter. Resources previously working in these areas are being strategically placed throughout the South Zone to assist with ongoing suppression efforts. Firefighters are moving back into the fire area after yesterday’s weather limited safe access. Line construction and hose lay is being put in place on the southwest corner to prevent further spread to the west of Mineral King Road. Handline and hose lays on the southeast corner connecting Mineral King Road and the East Fork Kaweah River have been completed. Crews are working to improve lines and mop up any remaining pockets of heat. Preparation and protection tactics are being utilized in Atwell Grove in the event the fire continues to move east. California Incident Management Team 1 has arrived and will assume command of the south zone at 6:00 pm tonight.

Weather: Yesterday’s storms brought a wetting rain over the majority of the fire area. Today will be sunny and dry with light, north-northwesterly winds.

Safety: As we start the weekend, please continue to respect closures and reduce speeds when traveling in and around the fire area.

Evacuations: Evacuation ORDERS and WARNINGS are in place. For the most up-to-date information, visit: https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webap ... 7aa94daca0. Learn to prepare for an evacuation by visiting https://www.readyforwildfire.org/.

Closures: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are closed west of the Pacific Crest Trail and south of the ridgeline which lies north of Ionian Basin. In addition, the BLM Case Mountain Extensive Recreation Management Area and major portions of the Sequoia National Forest are also closed. View closures at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/7838/

Smoke Impacts: As weather warms up over the next few days, smoke may be visible as fire consumes unburned pockets of vegetation within the fire perimeter. Current air quality updates can be found at https://www.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/FresnoCA.

Fire Information: PUBLIC: (559) 492-9988 (8 a.m. – 8 p.m.); MEDIA: (559) 492-9967
EMAIL: 2021.KNP@firenet.gov
INCIWEB:
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7838/
FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/sequoiakingsnps/ and https://www.facebook.com/sequoiaNF/
TWITTER:
https://twitter.com/SequoiaKingsnps and https://twitter.com/sequoiaforest
INSTAGRAM:
https://www.instagram.com/Sequoiakingsnps
YOUTUBE:
https://bit.ly/KNPComplexY

10/09/21 KNP Complex Update PDF
10/09/21 Fire Map PDF

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SEKI NP:

Acres: 87,468 acres Containment: 30%
Start Date: September 10, 2021 Cause: Lightning
Jurisdiction: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks; Sequoia National Forest
Resources: 2,118 personnel including: 45 crews, 130 engines, 40 water tenders, 21 dozers and 14 helicopters

North Zone: Favorable weather has provided crews a welcome reprieve from aggressive fire behavior, and little to no forward progression is expected over the next operational period. Mop up and removal of suppression equipment has commenced as line completion has progressed in the northwest. Direct line is now in place from the Eshom Valley around the north end of the fire to Stony Creek on the east. Firefighters will reinforce these lines over the next several days. On the eastern flank near Giant Forest Grove, crews will search for and extinguish hot spots and work on contingency lines around the grove. Aircraft is available to fly if conditions are favorable. Fire managers will be paying particular attention to forecasted high winds and gusty conditions over the next 24 hours and are prepared to respond accordingly should the fire move beyond its current footprint.

South Zone: Yesterday, aircraft was utilized to place retardant around the Redwood Meadow Grove and Case Mountain Grove, providing protection in the event of any additional spread. Additionally, blackline was added in the southern zone north of Ash Mountain up towards the zone break. A hotshot crew was strategically inserted on the southwestern edge of the fire perimeter and the East Fork of the Kaweah River. The crew has completed approximately 1 mile of handline, working to the east. This work will continue over the next few days. Firefighters are focusing on work to be done for the west and south portions of the fire. Backhaul operations continue on the western portion of the fire to remove hose lays, pumps, and other excessive equipment that is no longer needed to support suppression efforts. Firefighters continue laborious work in Atwell grove where they are constructing handline in dead plant material such as leaves, bark, and twigs that is up to 3 feet deep. This work will ensure both the trees are protected and they are able to extinguish any residual heat near the fire's perimeter. The constructed line will continue north and connect to a scree field, or natural holding feature.
A virtual public meeting was held last night and is viewable here: https://youtube.com/channel/UCe2YK0AO0yGBpcYosb3cguA

Weather: A cold front is moving rapidly through the area and will bring much lower temperatures, higher humidity and some precipitation. Unseasonably low temperatures will remain once the cold front passes, but dryer air will move in.
Safety: Please continue to respect closures and reduce speeds when traveling in and around the fire area.

Evacuations: Evacuation ORDERS and WARNINGS are in place. For the most up-to-date information, visit: https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webap ... 7aa94daca0. Learn to prepare for an evacuation by visiting https://www.readyforwildfire.org/.

Closures: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are closed west of the Pacific Crest Trail and south of the ridgeline which lies north of Ionian Basin. In addition, the BLM Case Mountain Extensive Recreation Management Area and major portions of the Sequoia National Forest are also closed. View closures at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/7838/

Smoke Impacts: Current air quality updates can be found at https://www.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/FresnoCA.

Fire Information:
North Zone
PUBLIC and MEDIA: (559) 494-4881 (8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)
South Zone
PUBLIC: (559) 492-9988 (8 a.m. – 8 p.m.); MEDIA: (559) 492-9967

EMAIL: 2021.KNP@firenet.gov
INCIWEB: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7838/
FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/sequoiakingsnps/ and https://www.facebook.com/sequoiaNF/
TWITTER:
https://twitter.com/SequoiaKingsnps and https://twitter.com/sequoiaforest
INSTAGRAM:
https://www.instagram.com/Sequoiakingsnps
YOUTUBE:
https://bit.ly/KNPComplexYT

[tomba]

I find the video briefings for South Zone and North Zone are very informative: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe2YK0 ... =0&sort=dd

Edit: Now I am getting a message "This channel does not exist." New link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFGvz ... =0&sort=dd - it has updates starting from 4 days ago.

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SEKI NP:

Kings Canyon National Park to Partially Reopen Monday, 10/18/21
Sequoia National Park Remains Closed Until Further Notice

Following successful fire suppression operations and a period of favorable weather, the majority of Kings Canyon National Park and some wilderness areas of Sequoia National Park will reopen for public use on Monday, October 18. All developed areas of Sequoia National Park remain closed.

The following areas and services within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are reopening to the public:

Big Stump Entrance Station on Highway 180
The majority of Grant Grove, including the General Grant Tree
Kings Canyon Visitor Center Information Desk (exhibits, shop, and theater remain closed)
Cedar Grove
Kings Canyon Wilderness except for Redwood Canyon
Areas east of the Great Western Divide in the Sequoia National Park Wilderness
South Fork in the Sequoia National Park Wilderness


The following areas and services within Kings Canyon National Park will remain closed:

All areas south of the intersection between Highway 180 and the Generals Highway, including Redwood Canyon
All Grant Grove concessions including restaurant, market, lodging, and gift shop
All NPS campgrounds in Cedar Grove and Grant Grove
Park Ridge Trail
Big Stump Picnic Area


There have been impacts on the water systems in Kings Canyon National Park. There will be no running water available in the park until water systems are restored, which is currently estimated for late October. Visitors must bring enough water with them to meet their needs during their visit. Furthermore, all restroom facilities with plumbing will be closed until water utilities are restored. Portable restrooms will be provided where no vault toilets are available.

Kings Canyon National Park is reopening for day use and wilderness use only at this time. No front country camping is available. All camping in Cedar Grove is closed for the winter. The parks hope to make winter camping available in Azalea Campground in Grant Grove in the coming months and will release more information as it becomes available.

Wilderness permits are free by self-issue at this time of year. Bear in mind that trails in the Lodgepole, Middle Fork, and Mineral King areas of Sequoia National Park remain closed. Wilderness travelers will not be able to exit via these trailheads. Please plan accordingly.

For updated information about closures on the Sequoia National Forest, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/sequoia/home

At this time, there is no timeframe in place for reopening developed areas of Sequoia National Park. Until the area is stable enough to assess safely, not enough is known to provide even an estimate. As park staff gain access and assess, a staged reopening is likely, based on different areas having sustained different levels of damage.

“We are acutely aware that local communities rely on national park visitors to support their economies and countless livelihoods. When the parks are closed, this leaves many without or with a drastically reduced source of income,” says Superintendent Clay Jordan. “Not only is providing access to public land an essential part of the NPS mission, we are also members of our local communities, and personally invested in their wellbeing. We are extremely motivated to mitigate this crisis and reopen the parks as soon as it is possible to do so responsibly.”

Wildfires can make the landscape more susceptible to landslides, rock fall, and slope run-off, especially during precipitation events. Slope stabilization and hazard tree mitigation along the Generals Highway are of particular concern. Some losses of NPS infrastructure may require a longer timeline for stabilization and repair to support safe, sanitary public access. As the containment percentage on the KNP Complex continues to climb, the parks are formulating a plan for recovery. A special Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team will be arriving next week to work with park staff in conducting a damage assessment of natural and cultural resources and park infrastructure affected by the fire.

By mid-November, park leadership expects to have a better understanding of what actions will be required before closed sections of the parks can be reopened and hopes to establish projected timeframes for reopening. No major reopening in Sequoia National Park is expected before December 2021, and fire impacts, combined with winter weather effects, may delay reopening well beyond that time.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks leadership commits to transparency with the public and their many partners throughout the complex process of returning to a normal level of operations. For the latest information on the status of the park’s fire recovery efforts, please go to www.nps.gov/seki/learn/nature/knp-complex-fire.htm

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SEKI:
While activity on the KNP Complex has slowed dramatically, and firefighting operations have been scaled back to a minimum, containment still sits at 80%. Why isn't it higher?
Fire managers are periodically flying the fire perimeter to look for opportunities to increase containment. Containment lines must be validated and confirmed to be secure before containment percentage is increased. This is a slow process, especially in terrain as remote and rugged as the southern Sierra Nevada. Containment numbers are unlikely to go up until the parks get more significant precipitation.
While fire from the KNP Complex does not currently pose any threats to life or property, NPS fire managers have observed areas of fire activity and smoke in the interior of the fire footprint, and determined that they are mainly coming from islands of unburned fuels and heavy logs that continue to be consumed.
If the ongoing pattern of extremely dry weather continues, smoke west of Castle Rocks and north of Paradise Ridge may be visible from areas along Highway 198 approaching Sequoia National Park, and on the north end of the fire, smoke may be visible from portions of Highway 180 that look towards Redwood Canyon. Smoke in Atwell Grove may also be visible from the Mineral King Road, but that area is closed to the public for the winter.
At this time, the Generals Highway remains closed from Hospital Rock through the Giant Forest to Grant Grove. We will keep you posted with more information about areas reopening as it becomes available!

Smoke rises from an isolated pocket of heat near Redwood Canyon. Seen from an aerial reconnaissance flight on 11/30.