Yosemite Fires – Update #5 – August 1, 2010

The lightning caused fires of July continue to burn in Yosemite wilderness and are being managed for multiple objectives. This means fire managers and firefighters may use less aggressive or minimal actions where the fire is accomplishing benefits on the land. For example, the fire may burn the understory of trees, ridding the area of accumulations of dead and down vegetation and accumulations of needle and leaf litter.

All fires listed are being monitored and data is being collected (fuel moistures and weather) to determine what actions will be taken. In wilderness areas Minimum Impact Management Tactics (MIMT) are utilized by using natural barriers of rock and lakes, or utilizing trails and past fires thereby lessening the use of aggressive hand tools, i.e. chain saws. Utilizing the minimal tool and natural features further reduces the work needed to rehabilitate the fire area. Firefighters do this without diverting their attention from the safety of themselves or the public. These adjustments firefighters make to effect minimum resource impacts are essential if the spirit of wilderness and National Parks is to be maintained.

Slope fire: (37 54.572 x 119 40.924; 6900’ el., Tuolumne Co). This fire has grown to approximately 180 acres. It is approximately one mile n/w of Harden Lake in an area of frequent fires: 1985, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2009. There is no recorded fire history in the immediate fire area. The fire is burning through the ground cover, with the occasional torching of single trees or groupings of trees. The fire is backing slowly and flanking the north slope with a low rate of spread although there has been short
range spotting. The north and southeast perimeters are the most active. Smoke is visible along Tioga Rd, O’Shaughnessy Dam of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, and across the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River toward Rancheria trail area. The mixed conifer forest is on a north aspect, with cedar and white fir trees, down tree limbs and compacted short needles as the predominate vegetation. There are numerous trails in the area and all remain open. “Fire near the Trail” warnings signs are in place, and hikers are encouraged to heed the warning signs. Cooperators include the San Francisco Water Quality and Public Utilities Commission at Hetch Hetchy, and the Tuolumne County Air Pollution Control District.

Other fires:

Tuolumne: (37 57.024 x 119 32.58; 8000’ el., Tuolumne Co). This fire is 3.88 acres, and inactive. It continues to be monitored.

Wildcat 2: (37 56.865 x 119 30.447; 8000’ el., Tuolumne Co.) This fire became more active over the weekend of July 31 and August I, and has increased to 16 acres. It is burning through fingers of fuel along Register Creek, and it continues to be monitored.

The National Weather Service is predicting favorable air models for smoke dispersion for the Slope fire, with no long term stagnation in the forecast. Early morning smoke may be present down the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne.

Yosemite Fires – Update #6 – August 4, 2010
The lightning caused fires of July continue to burn in Yosemite wilderness and are being managed for multiple objectives. This means fire managers and firefighters may use less aggressive or minimal actions where the fire is accomplishing benefits on the land. For example, the fire may burn the understory of trees, ridding the area of accumulations of dead and down vegetation and accumulations of needle and leaf litter.

All fires listed are being monitored and data is being collected (fuel moistures and weather) to determine what actions will be taken. In wilderness areas Minimum Impact Management Tactics (MIMT) are utilized by using natural barriers of rock and lakes, or utilizing trails and past fires thereby lessening the use of aggressive hand tools, i.e. chain saws. Utilizing the minimal tool and natural features further reduces the work needed to rehabilitate the fire area. Firefighters do this without diverting their attention from the safety of themselves or the public. These adjustments firefighters make to effect minimum resource impacts are essential if the spirit of wilderness and National Parks is to be maintained.

Slope fire: (37 54.572 x 119 40.924; 6900’ el., Tuolumne Co). This fire is now at approximately 320 acres. It remains a ground fire with a moderate rate of spread and isolated spotting. A blacklining burn was conducted August 3, near the west perimeter along a handline. This is done to reduce heat on crews holding the perimeter line and lessen chances for the fire spotting across control lines. It eliminates fuel between the line and the active fire. Combined with sparse vegetation on steep slopes and coinciding with favorable smoke dispersion and air quality the “firing” operation is all the more successful in transporting the smoke out of the area . The success of this operation is dependent on the fire spread, behavior and current activity. The north and southeast perimeters continue to be the most active. Smoke is visible along Tioga Rd, O’Shaughnessy Dam of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, Rancheria trail area and in the Tuolumne Meadows area. The mixed conifer forest is on a north aspect, with cedar and white fir trees, down tree limbs and compacted short needles as the predominate vegetation. There are numerous trails in the area and all remain open. “Fire near the Trail” warnings signs are in place, and hikers are encouraged to heed the warning signs.

Cooperators include the San Francisco Water Quality and Public Utilities Commission at Hetch Hetchy, and the Tuolumne County Air Pollution Control District.

Other fires:
Tuolumne: (37 57.024 x 119 32.58; 8000’ el., Tuolumne Co). This fire is 3.88 acres, and inactive.

Wildcat 2: (37 56.865 x 119 30.447; 8000’ el., Tuolumne Co.) This is at 16 acres. It is slowly burning through fingers of fuel along Register Creek. This fire and the Tuolumne are being monitored.

The National Weather Service is predicting favorable air smoke dispersion for the Slope fire, with no long term stagnation in the forecast. Early morning smoke may be present down the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, with clearing by late morning.

The lightning caused fires of July continue to burn in Yosemite wilderness and are being managed for multiple objectives. This means fire managers and firefighters may use less aggressive or minimal actions where the fire is accomplishing benefits on the land. For example, the fire may burn the understory of trees, ridding the area of accumulations of dead and down vegetation and accumulations of needle and leaf litter.

All fires listed are being monitored and data is being collected (fuel moistures and weather) to determine what actions will be taken. In wilderness areas Minimum Impact Management Tactics (MIMT) are utilized by using natural barriers of rock and lakes, or utilizing trails and past fires thereby lessening the use of aggressive hand tools, i.e. chain saws. Utilizing the minimal tool and natural features further reduces the work needed to rehabilitate the fire area. Firefighters do this without diverting their attention from the safety of themselves or the public. These adjustments firefighters make to effect minimum resource impacts are essential if the spirit of wilderness and National Parks is to be maintained.

Slope fire: (37 54.572 x 119 40.924; 6900’ el., Tuolumne Co). This fire is now at approximately 360 acres. It remains a ground fire with a moderate rate of spread and isolated spotting. The most active part of the fire is to the east, and southeast. A backline burning operation was conducted on the west side of the fire. This is done to reduce heat on crews holding the perimeter line and lessen chances for the fire spotting across control lines. It eliminates fuel between the line and the active fire. The park
helicopter will be conducting water drops on the parts of the fire line inaccessible to firefighters on the ground. Combined with sparse vegetation on steep slopes and coinciding with favorable smoke dispersion and air quality the “firing” operation is all the more successful in transporting the smoke out of the area. The success of this operation is dependent on the fire spread, behavior and current activity. Smoke is visible along Tioga Rd, O’Shaughnessy Dam of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, Rancheria trail
area and in the Tuolumne Meadows area. The mixed conifer forest is on a north aspect, with cedar and white fir trees, down tree limbs and compacted short needles as the predominate vegetation. There are numerous trails in the area and all remain open. “Fire near the Trail” warnings signs are in place, and hikers are encouraged to heed the warning signs.

The Harden lake area and the trial to Pate Valley from Harden Lake are closed. The White Wolf trailhead to Pate Valley and Lukens Lake remain open. The trail closure is in effect today August 5, 2010. Wilderness rangers and fire information personnel will in the area to help direct hikers and backpackers.

Cooperators include the San Francisco Water Quality and Public Utilities Commission at Hetch Hetchy, and the Tuolumne County Air Pollution Control District.

Other fires: The Tuolumne and the Wildcat fires are both inactive.

The National Weather Service is predicting favorable air smoke dispersion for the Slope fire, with no long term stagnation in the forecast. Early morning smoke may be present down the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, with clearing by late morning.