The Taboose Fire remains at an estimated 10,500 acres with 10% containment this morning and fire behavior moderated overnight. Last night firefighters made excellent progress and worked to construct line to the north and east and continued to improve line along the east and south.
Today, fire crews will continue suppression efforts by constructing fireline with a focus to completing line along the north. They will continue to patrol and mop up line along the south and east flank with continued support from retardant and water drops from air tankers and helicopters. Today’s primary concern is the red flag warning for high winds in the forecast for this evening through tomorrow morning that could push fire growth. The conditions in the forecast are very similar to the wind event experienced two nights ago.
A Community Meeting is planned for today at 12:30 pm at the Big Pine Town Hall, 150 Dewey Street, to provide an update for residents about the fire.
Yesterday, Inyo County Sheriff’s Office coordinated with Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park to evacuate stranded hikers at Red Lake and the parks’ helicopter was able to extract the hikers when the smoke cleared from the area in the afternoon.
Baxter Ranch is under a mandatory evacuation and Birch Creek, Aberdeen and Taboose Creek Campground are under voluntary evacuation advisories. Tinnemaha Campground is closed and being used for incident response. Tinnemaha Road, Taboose Creek Road (at Aberdeen), and the McMurry Meadows Road are closed. Birch Creek Trail, Red Lake Trail, and Taboose Creek Trails are closed. The forest continues to work with Inyo County Sheriff and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks to locate hikers in the area. Four vehicles were destroyed at the Red Lake Trailhead. The public is advised to avoid these closures and the nearby fire area for their safety and to aid in safe response for firefighters.
The fire is being managed in unified command with Inyo National Forest, CAL FIRE and Inyo County Sheriff’s Office. CA Incident Management Team 11 had been inbriefed and assumed command of the incident. There are 367 personnel assigned to the incident and includes cooperators from BLM, CHP, National Park Service, Big Pine Fire Department, Bishop Fire Department, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and numerous others.