Jordan Fire Update 6/16/19

Incident Start Date: 6/09/2019
Cause: Lightning
Size: 523 acres
Containment: 40%
Incident Type: Full Suppression
Vegetation Type: Brush and timber
Agency: Inyo National Forest, U.S.D.A. Forest Service
Resources Assigned: Engines: 1 Helicopters: 6 Crews: 7 Total Personnel: 246

Current Situation: The Inyo National Forest Type 3 Incident Management Organization is managing the Jordan Fire led by Incident Commander Todd McDivitt and Incident Commander Trainee Don Shoemaker. The Jordan Fire has been determined to have been caused by lightning. None of the historic structures at Jordan Hot Springs were lost as a result of this fire.

Control line construction is nearly complete as crews on both sides of the fire have tied their lines into an extensive snowbank below Manzanita Knob. These lines will now be improved to ensure that current and predicted fire behavior will not cause the fire to escape. Percent Containment figures are expected to increase as fire managers gain confidence in the work accomplished on the ground. As the fire edge cools, firefighters will begin the process of fire line rehabilitation to reduce the chance of soil erosion and mitigate the visual appearance of fire suppression activities.

The big job of removing all equipment used to suppress the fire and trash has already begun. Equipment no longer needed by the crews is gathered, carried to the nearest helispot and securely bundled. Helicopters again will be called upon to remove the excess equipment, supplies and trash from the Golden Trout Wilderness. Forest Supervisor Tammy Randall-Parker said, “Because the Jordan Fire is in a congressionally designated Wilderness the Forest Service strives to utilize the “minimum tool” concept to get the job done while maintaining the values associated with wilderness areas.” The use of modern tools such as helicopters and chainsaws, while efficient, do intrude into the solitude and natural sounds one would expect in a primitive wilderness setting. Special permission by the Forest Supervisor is required for each fire suppression mission to use these “modern” tools. Another “minimum tool” may be able to be used to reduce the noise and expense of helicopter flights to get the job done.

The Inyo National Forest is home to several award-winning mule pack strings that historically have been used to do the heavy hauling on the east side of the Sierra Nevada. The trails from Jordan Hot Springs to the Sequoia National Forest’s Black Rock Trailhead are being evaluated to see if they are clear and safe to use for pack stock. High stream levels, waterlogged meadows or fallen trees could block the mule’s access. Depending on trial conditions the mules and their ‘packers’ may be called upon to haul a significant share of the work load that helicopters would otherwise be required to perform. Some of these same mules were showcased in the Rose Parade this year.

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6384/