Fire Update!
August 21st, 2015 by Eric Mart
Closures & Advisories:
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks issued a closure of the Cedar Grove area and portions of the Grant Grove area.
- Sierra National Forest issued a closure order for the Rough Fire Area.
- Sequoia National Forest issued a closure order for the Hume Lake and Monarch Wilderness, including Forest Road 12S01, 12S01E, and 12S19 in the Sequoia Highlands area.
- Black Rock Campground and Forest Road 11S12 (also called Black Rock Road) is closed between Balch Camp and Sawmill Flat.
- The Hume Lake area is closed, as is Hwy 180 beyond Grant Tree Road.
Please see InciWeb for more specific details.
- Fire Size Today: 39,400 acres
- Containment: 3%
- 1,605 Firefighters:
- 26 crews, 80 engines and 6 helicopters
Location:
Kings River Drainage, 5 miles North of Hume Lake and 2.5 miles southwest of Spanish Mountain
Fire is being managed on the Sierra National Forest, Sequoia National Forest, and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.
Started: 7/31/15 lightning caused
Management: California Interagency Incident Management Team (CIIMT) 3 and South Central Sierra Interagency Incident Management Team
Fire Restrictions: are in place for the Sierra National Forest. Campfires are only allowed in designated developed recreation sites
No campfires are allowed within the Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument.
Summary:
As of today, the John Muir Lodge, Grant Grove Cabins, and all campgrounds will be temporarily closed in the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park. This action is due to Rough Fire
activity. The Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park remains open. The public may still visit the General Grant Tree, restaurant, market, and gift shop. There are moderate to heavy smoke impacts at times impacting vistas.
The fire continues to spread southeast up Redwood Creek towards Windy Gulch Grove of Giant Sequoias. Contingency lines continue to be established along the ridge between the north fork of Tenmile Creek and Lockwood Creek to keep the fire out of the middle fork of Tenmile Creek. These contingency lines continue to be challenged as the fire bumps the top of the spur ridge above Hwy 180 in the area of the Kings Canyon Lodge near the confluence of Tenmile and Indian creeks.
Firefighters conducted a burnout operation to remove fuels in advance of the main fire. This was completed from Hwy 180 below Hume Lake dam to the Tenmile Road. This buffer should help suppression crews to contain the fire near Hume Lake recreation area.
Today California Interagency Incident Management Team (CIIMT) 3 assumed command of the fire. The South Central Interagency Incident Management Team will transition to the north zone of the fire.
Fire information hotline 559-565-3704
Incident Information: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4456/
Twitter: @Sierra_NF @SequoiaForest @SequoiaKingsNPS
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