2024 Fire and Smoke Impact Reports

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Please report here if you know of any fires or encounter smoky conditions during a recent trip to the Sierra.

The CAL FIRE map below displays general locations of major fires burning in the High Sierra Nevada and throughout the state of California. Fire locations are approximate.

https://www.fire.ca.gov/imapdata/index.html

https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/?state=5

http://californiasmokeinfo.blogspot.com/

http://wxshift.com/news/us-wildfires-one-map

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SEKI NP:

Access via Hwy 180 to Kings Canyon National Park is currently closed due to fire. If you are traveling to the park, expect to be rerouted to Hwy 198 through the Sequoia National Park entrance.
This is an evolving situation, and we encourage everyone to follow managing agencies for updates.

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6/24
SNF:

After the lightning storm last night wildland fire crews responded to multiple wildfires on the High Sierra Ranger District of the Sierra National Forest.

Fire managers have confirmed 12 fires. This morning it has been reported that fires are a quarter of an acre or less in size. Fire resources are making their way into the identified fires as air attack is gathering more information overhead.

Three fires has been placed in patrol status.

We will provide more information later today.

6/25 Update:

Fire crews are working 15 wildfires after last nights storm.

After a day of locating and working wildfires crews have already made progress toward protecting our communities and our natural resources here on the Sierra National Forest.

Here is the official report from the High Sierra Ranger District.

Fires called out include: Tamarack Fire, Lower Fire, Twin Fire, and Elowin Fire.

Contained wildfires include: Bluff Fire, Basin Fire, Lost Fire, and Tea Kettle Fire.

Resources are on scene of: Snow Fire, Corral Fire, Garlic Fire, Dalton Fire, Fur Fire, Mount Tom Fire, and Patterson Fire.

Forest lookouts, air attack, fire personnel, and forest managers are actively patrolling and looking for any new smokes that may appear. Off forest resources including Forest Service engines, crews, and smoke jumpers have arrived to assist and more resources are in route for tomorrow’s staffing needs. These crews will actively suppress wildfires, extinguish known fires, and patrol for any new starts.

Please be cautious while visiting your National Forest. We will be seeing an increase in fire traffic both in the forest and in the surrounding communities. Recreate responsibly and please help to prevent wildfires during this elevated fire activity and always!

Update 6/26

Morning update for the wildfires on the High Sierra Ranger District from the June 24th, 2024 lightning storm.

Crews continue to make great progress on containing all 17 of the confirmed fires. Air and ground resources will be working together to minimize fire spread. Here is the updated list and status of the confirmed wildfires.

Fires that are out: Tamarack Fire, Lower Fire, and the Elowin Fire.

Fires that are contained: Bluff Fire, Barnes Fire, Lost Fire, Snow Fire, Corral Fire, Garlic Fire, Tea Kettle Fire, Stevenson Fire, and the Tom Fire.

Fires that crews are suppressing: Pryor Fire, Daulton Fire, Fur Fire, Rock Fire, and Patterson Fire.

The fires that crews continue to suppress are burning in heavy fuels. Large diameter trees require chainsaws and a high amounts of water to suppress. Two fires are two acres and all the others are a quarter acre or less.

Resources continue to report for duty at the High Sierra District Office. Please beware that we are likely to see increased fire traffic in town and on national forest roads. Please be extra careful and do your part to prevent wildfires during this and all the time!

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SNF:

The Sierra National Forest has been notified and is working a new fire called the Basin Fire. This fire is located on the South Fork of the Kings River. The Basin Fire is estimated to be 35 acres. Air craft have established retardant around the incident to slow the spread. Ground crews are making their way in and will soon be constructing fire line.

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SNF:

The Basin Fire is currently reported as over 1,000 acres and growing with a rapid rate of spread. Fire crews are using point protection for values at risk in the Balch Camp area. Additional firefighters and equipment have been ordered, and will begin to arrive on scene tonight.

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6/26
Inyo NF:

U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Fire firefighters are responding to a 50-100 acre wildfire with a moderate to rapid rate of spread east of Adobe Valley in Nevada. This fire is called the "Pizona Fire."

Both ground and air resources are responding. More information will be added in the comments below when it becomes available.

6/26 5:35 pm
Inyo NF

Pizona Fire is currently at 300 acres with potential for thousands of acres.

The fire is moving in a northeasterly direction, with no resources currently at risk.

Ground access to the fire is extremely difficult with rough terrain and limited to no roadways.

This fire is effecting the Bishop and Lone Pine areas.

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NWS Hanford:

Wind gusts will be stronger today and Friday as a trough quickly progresses east through the northern states. That westerly flow will allow for the transport of dense smoke into Inyo County from a complex of wildfires in Fresno County.

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Inyo NF:

Acreage: 540

Percent Containment: 0%

Current Resources: 5 hand crews, 5 engines, 4 helicopters, 2 air tankers, 1 air attack, 2 water tenders, 20 overhead.

Resources at risk: powerlines and sage grouse habitat

Summary: Last night, the Pizona Fire grew approximately 200 acres from 300 to 540 while ground resources arrived on scene for a full suppression response.

Due to the remoteness of the fire’s location east of Adobe Valley in Mineral County, Nevada, logistics remain the biggest challenge for managing this fire. Air resources will be used as the primary suppression tactic, with assistance from a smokejumper crew out of a remote base in Porterville, California.

The fire is currently located within the Inyo National Forest boundary, approximately one-half mile from the U.S. Forest Service-Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, and one mile from Bureau of Land Management land.

The fire was determined to be caused by lightning. There are no structures threatened and no evacuations in place.
Breaking updates on this fire will be posted here and on the Inyo National Forest website when possible: https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/inyo/news-events

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SNF:

The Basin Fire is 2,636 acres with 0% containment. The fire is burning in grass and oak timber in steep terrain. A Complex Incident Management, California Incident Management Team 11, has been assigned to this incident and will be in-briefing today.

Fire crews main priorities are to keep the fire north of the Kings River and to protect the Balch Camp structures and values at risk. Fire crews are actively seeking opportunities to cut line directly on the fires edge to minimize fire spread.

Smoke from the Basin Fire will be visible from Shaver Lake, Prather, and Clovis. For further information about smoke conditions please visit https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/

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SNF:

17 out of 18 wildfires are contained or out!

This post is the evening update for 6/27/2024 for the 17 lightning fires on the High Sierra Ranger District, not including the Basin Fire.

Fire crews have successfully contained 17 out of the 18 from the lightning storm that occurred on June 24.

Here is the updated list and status of the confirmed wildfires. 

Fires that are out: Tamarack fire, Lower Fire, Elowin Fire, Barnes Fire, Bluff Fire, Corral Fire, Teakettle Fire and the Tom Fire.

Fires that are contained : Patterson Fire, Lost Fire, Snow Fire, Fir Fire, Garlic Fire, Stevenson Fire, Daulton Fire, Pryor Fire, Rock Fire.

California Incident Management Team 11 has been ordered and will assume command on June 28 @ 7:00am. 

Please be careful as there will be an increase of emergency vehicles in town and on Forest Service roads.