2020 Fire/Smoke Impact Reports

[schmalz]

Yikes. I hiked straight through there earlier this year. Day one was Jerkey Meadow to Painter's Camp, right through the middle of the current burn zone.

[Goat]

According to unofficial news reports the Shotgun and Castle fires have "merged" together, but I cannot find an official statement. If this is the case, which seems improbable, the fire is much bigger that the boundaries shown. I'm thinking that they were administratively merged.

[c9h13no3]

According to unofficial news reports the Shotgun and Castle fires have "merged" together, but I cannot find an official statement. If this is the case, which seems improbable, the fire is much bigger that the boundaries shown. I'm thinking that they were administratively merged.

Yeah, they're still separate. You can check the fire boundaries on Caltopo.

castle_shotgun.PNG

[TurboHike]

According to unofficial news reports the Shotgun and Castle fires have "merged" together, but I cannot find an official statement. If this is the case, which seems improbable, the fire is much bigger that the boundaries shown. I'm thinking that they were administratively merged.

Yes, the management of the two fires has been merged. They are calling it the SQF Complex. Read it here:

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7048/

[maverick]

Inyo NF:

Segment of Golden Trout Wilderness Closed for SQF Complex Fire

The Inyo National Forest has closed the southwest segment of the Golden Trout Wilderness on the Inyo National Forest under a forest closure order due to the SQF Complex (Castle Fire and Shotgun Fire) for firefighter and public safety. In addition, the U.S. Forest Service - Sequoia National Forest
has closed the parts Golden Trout Wilderness under their administration.

The Inyo’s closure is to the west of the South Fork of the Kern and trail networks from Siberian Pass at the northern boundary with Sequoia National Park, remains west of Big Whitney Meadow, Ramshaw Meadow, and Kingfisher Ridge and connects at the at the southern boundary with Sequoia National Forest at Blackrock Ranger Station. Please see the map for better detail.

For now, the north eastern part of the Golden Trout Wilderness on the Inyo remains open, which keeps the Pacific Crest Trail and trails at Cottonwood Pass, Trail Pass, and Cottonwood Lakes open as long as those itineraries avoid the closure areas on the Inyo and the Sequoia National Forest (as a rule itineraries heading north from these trails).

If you are considering hiking or backpacking into the Golden Trout Wilderness from the Inyo, please be advised that there is an uncontained fire and substantial smoke a in the area. Please consider alternatives.

[c9h13no3]

Air quality in Yosemite high country was surprisingly good yesterday. Could just make out Tower Peak & Red Slate Mountain from Mt Florence (~30 miles away). I found the AirNow air quality forecast to be the most representative of what we experienced (click "Forecast" in the upper left corner). It's only a forecast for 1 day in advance, so probably only useful for day hikers.

[maverick]

Inyo NF:

At 35,312 acres with 0% containment!

[Jim F]

I was on the summit of Mt Whitney two days ago (morning of Saturday August 29). The air quality was superb and there were great views in all directions for dozens of miles. In contrast, two campers on the Summit said that on the previous day one could not even see Mt Russell (one mile away) from the Mt Whitney summit due to smoke.

The Sequoia Complex Fire and wind direction are likely the major factors in these two different conditions. On Saturday I calculated that the Sequoia Complex Fire's northern border was about 20 miles SSW of the Mt Whitney summit and 2 miles south of the Kern Canyon Ranger Station.

Jim

[maverick]

Today's conditions:

[maverick]

More fire and smoke.

Mono Co Sheriff's Dept: