Yosemite Fires - Update #18

The lightning storms over Yosemite National Park continue in the afternoon hours. Another fire was discovered today (Dark Hole fire). All the fires are staffed and there are no smoke impacts. This information will continue to change as more fires are found.

Suppression fire zone; all fires will be put out.

• Gin: (37 47.467 x 119 46.897; 5,700’el. Tuolumne Co.) A single tree was struck by lightning. This fire is in timber. One quarter acre has burned with open flame visible.
• Aspen: (37 47.648 x 119 46.691; 5,700’el. Tuolumne Co.) This fire is on the east side of the South Fork of Tuolumne River. A single tree was struck by lightning, and is smoldering and creeping through surface fuels.
• South Fork: (37 48.099 x 119 46.065; 5,577’el. Tuolumne Co.) It is located on the west side of the So. Fork of the Tuolumne River. A Single tree strike and is creeping and smoldering through ground fuels.
• Valley: (37 48.189 x 119 46.297; 5,577’el. Tuolumne Co.) Single tree strike, creeping and smoldering through timber litter. It is a south aspect with a creeping 10’x10’ spot with flame lengths less than 6”.
• Gulch: (37 51.4 x 119 46.8; 5,800’ el. Tuolumne Co.) A single tree strike and is creeping in timber and brush.

Wilderness Zone:

• Dark Hole: (37 50.877 x 119 37.702; 8,500’el. Mariposa Co.) This fire is east of White Wolf and south of Tioga Rd. It was discovered September 13. A single tree was struck and the fire is creeping through forest litter and duff. Thirty percent of the perimeter is active.
• Ribbon: (37 46.264 x 119 39.291; 8.500’el. Mariposa Co.) This lightning strike was to a single tree in red fir. It is approximately 2 miles east of Cascade Creek. It is a 30x30 spot fire and .10 acre has burned. Firefighters are collecting data and monitoring this wilderness fire for multiple objectives.
• Cascade: (37 45.879 x 119 41.846; 7,700’ el. Mariposa Co.) A single green tree was struck in red fir east of Cascade Creek in designated wilderness. A 10x10 spot is smoldering and creeping through timber litter. Firefighters are collected data and monitoring this fire for multiple objectives.
• Quartzite: (37 43.478 x 119 24.468; 9,000’el. Mariposa Co.) It is approximately 1 mile south of Merced Lake and is inactive due to heavy rain.
• Adair: (37.42.675 x 119 23.986; 8,600’el. Mariposa Co.) It is 2 miles west of Washburn Lake. It is approximately 4.6 acres in size, and is smoldering in red fir needle cast and forest duff; 5% of perimeter is active.
• Avalanche Fire: (N37 39.794 x W119 42.238; 6,400’el. Mariposa Co.) The 1,068 acre fire is controlled and in patrol status. Light smoke continues to be visible at the top of Avalanche Creek.

Other fires:

• Eagle: This fire was on the Stanislaus National Forest and near Eagle Peak and was extinguished.

Yosemite Fire Update - #19

The Park has 20 lightning caused fires with some form of activity. Measurable rain has fallen on all fires and many are now inactive. All fires are being monitored, patrolled or are staffed. As the weather begin to warm early next week and fire areas begin to dry out, smoke may become visible.

Decisions as to what fire to “keep” or “put out” are made by fire managers for a variety of reasons. For example the assessment to keep a fire may be predicated upon public health impacts due to smoke production, frequency of fire in the same location and/or available resources. Each fire is evaluated and assessed on its own merit in comparison of all fires burning within the park.

Fire managers made a decision to put out the Kibbie fire due to high fire behavior and spread potential due to the fire’s alignment with topography, wind and vegetation. The Kibbie fire has the highest potential of all of Yosemite’s current fires to get big quickly. Due to other fires in California and nationally, there are few local fire resources available due to drawdown. Additionally, the Bishop Creek Wildland Urban Interface protection planned prescribed fire is a high priority fall project and is an appropriate trade-off.

Suppression Fire Unit:

• Gin: (37 47.467 x 119 46.897; 5,700’el. Tuolumne Co. 9/11) A single lightning strike tree with ¼ acre of ground fire. This fire is in timber and is contained.
• Aspen: (37 47.648 x 119 46.691; 5,700’el. Tuolumne Co. 9/12) This fire is on the east side of the South Fork of Tuolumne River. A single tree was struck by lightning, and is contained and in patrol status.
• South Fork: (37 48.099 x 119 46.065; 5,577’el. Tuolumne Co. 9/12) It is located on the west side of the South Fork of the Tuolumne River. This fire is contained.
• Valley: (37 48.189 x 119 46.297; 5,577’el. Tuolumne Co. 9/12) Single tree strike, and is contained.
• Gulch (37 51.4 x 119 46.8; 5,800’ el. Tuolumne Co. 9/11) Reported but was never found.

Wilderness Fire Unit:

• Kibbie (37 59.629 x 19 52.437; 5,600”el. Tuolumne Co. 9/14.) This fire is in mixed conifer, and brush. It had the highest potential for becoming a large fire. It is fully lined and in patrol status.
• Smith (37 55.249 x 119 45.945; 6,300” el. Tuolumne Co. 9/14) It is burning in red fir and duff and 60% of the perimeter is active. It has moderate to high potential for growth.
• Coyote Rocks (37 37.49.186 x 119 32.593; 9,000’ el. Mariposa Co. 9/14.) There are four fires in the same general area: Coyote, Snow, Hoffman and Rocks. Each are active, but with little potential for growth,
• Blue Jay (37 46.566 x 119 39.111; 8,500’ el. Mariposa Co. 9/14.) It is northeast of Ribbon fire in red fir.
• Tamarack (37 45.982 x 119 44.436; 7,700’el. Mariposa Co. 9/13.) It is approximately 1 mile northeast of Tamarack campground, and near the footprint of the 1988 Walker fire. It is active and smoldering in red fire duff and forest litter.
• Hoover (37 38.302 x 119 28.635; 8,500’el. Madera Co. 9/14) It is near the 2001 Hoover fire. It is active and creeping through brush and forest litter.
• Starr (37 42.726 x 119 31.125; 8,200’ el., Mariposa Co. 9/14) It is north of Mt Starr King, and burning in brush and forest litter. It has moderate potential for growth.
• Dark Hole (37 50.877 x 119 37.702; 8,500’el. Mariposa Co. 9/13) This fire is east of White Wolf and south of Tioga Rd. A single tree was struck and the fire is creeping through forest litter and duff. Thirty percent of the perimeter is active.
• Ribbon (37 46.264 x 119 39.291; 8.500’el. Mariposa Co. 9/12) This lightning strike was to a single tree in red fir. It is approximately 2 miles east of Cascade Creek. It remains active.
• Cascade (37 45.879 x 119 41.846; 7,700’ el. Mariposa Co. 9/12) A single green tree was struck in red fir east of Cascade Creek in designated wilderness. This fire is inactive.
• Quartzite (37 43.478 x 119 24.468; 9,000’el. Mariposa Co. 9/2) It is approximately 1 mile south of Merced Lake and is inactive due to heavy rain.
• Adair (37.42.675 x 119 23.986; 8,600’el. Mariposa Co. 9.2) It is 2 miles west of Washburn Lake. It is approximately 4.6 acres in size, and is smoldering in forest duff, and remains active.
• Avalanche Fire (N37 39.794 x W119 42.238; 6,400’el. Mariposa Co.) The 1,068 acre fire is controlled and in patrol status. Light smoke continues to be visible at the top of Avalanche Creek.