Air Quality

[richlong8]

On Sept. 4-8 , we smelled smoke most days in the afternoons, from the Red Mt. Basin area. How long is this smoke supposed to go on, anyone know?

I found this link on the SEKI site for the Sheep fire, which suggests it is only 20% contained, and 10/31 is the estimated containment date.


I assume this is the fire that is causing the smoky conditions in the Sierra. I will probably postpone my trip next week to Tephite because of the smoke.

[quentinc]

The ranger at the permit station told me it was from the Sheep fire. I feel sorry for people who live in Lone Pine/ Bishop area.

A friend who was at Thousand Island Lake last weekend said that the smoke was not an issue there, but it all seems to depend on the exact direction of the wind.

[Tom]

My wife and I awoke Thursday morning to a lot of haze and smelling smoke. This was at Lake Marie on our way to Bear Creek Junction and Italy Lake and Italy Pass.

We briefly wondered if something had flaired up near us and if we were going to have to alter our plans. The smoke hazed out a couple of the mountains near us.

We later met a woman that thought we had a wind shift that was blowing the Kings Canyon smoke our way.

On a side note...
There sure seemed to be a lot of people up in the Paiute Creek area earlier. I didn't realize it was such a popular place. We came in over Pine Creek Pass and met at least 12 people while we fished the area for a couple of days.

[Oubliet]

I was hiking in the Rae Lakes area a couple of weeks ago. The Sheep fire had turned the air pretty brown in the Cedar Grove/Roads End area. It didn't get better until we had hiked out of Paradise Valley towards Woods Creek.

At the end of the trip, I talked to one of the firefighters at Cedar Grove. She said that they were watching the fire, but were letting it burn. The area has an over-accumulation of fuel.

Last week, a friend and I were hiking off Tioga Road. we were supposed to do the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, but a fire had caused the White Wolf leg of the trail to be closed.

So, instead, we hiked the Ten Lakes loop. When we were descending from the 10 Lakes area, we could see a part of the Tuolumne Canyon. There was definitely a lot of brown air coming from the White Wolf end of the canyon.

Here's a link for all of the forest fires that the forest service is tracking:

http://inciweb.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[oleander]

How's the Sheep Fire right now?

We're intending to head for Pear Lake/Tablelands tomorrow. Looks like the fire and the smoke are north of there; but wondering if the smoke is wandering south/southeast in our direction at all.

- Elizabeth

[maverick]

I was out from Thursday thru today, and saw no smoke in Pioneer Basin, or that
vicinity.

[cmon4day]

There are two fires in the Hetch Hetchy area that are contributing to the air quality. Here is the one burning above Lake Vernon.

[rlown]

Yose published this: http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/current_fire.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[John Dittli]

Smoke on 9/23 above Middle Fork Kings,

[quentinc]

I was in Miter Basin and Crabtree Lake 9/25 - 9/27. It was lovely and clear.