Re: Fire Continues to Burn in The Golden Trout Wilderness

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST, CA The Shotgun Fire, located in the Golden Trout Wilderness where Shotgun Creek flows into the Little Kern River has grown to 231 acres. The fire is being managed by seventy firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service. The Golden Trout Wilderness, managed by the Forest Service, is located approximately 25 miles northeast of the city of Porterville.

The Shotgun Fire, discovered Tuesday June 23rd, was started by lightning earlier this month. With warming temperatures the fire burned across the Little Kern River and spread towards Camelback Ridge. Firefighters continue their efforts to prevent the fire from burning over Camelback Ridge.

"The Shotgun fire is located near the old Cooney fire from 2003. Like the Cooney fire, the Shotgun Fire is being managed for resource benefit" stated Incident Commander Paul Gibbs. "This fire will help restore the natural ecological processes and reduce future suppression costs," stated Gibbs.

There are no trail closures in the Golden Trout Wilderness but visitors are urged to be cautious when traveling in the area near the fire, alternate routes are recommended. For up-to-date information please contact the Springville office at 559-539-2607.

US Forest Service, Sequoia National Forest
Contact: Cindy Thill
Fire Continues to Burn in the Golden Trout Wilderness

Springville, CA., July 3, 2009...The Shotgun Fire, located in the Golden Trout Wilderness where Shotgun Creek flows into the Little Kern River has grown to 412 acres and is expected to grow to 800 acres by the end of this weekend. The fire is being managed by ninety firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service. The Golden Trout Wilderness, managed by the Forest Service, is located approximately 25 miles northeast of the city of Porterville.

The Shotgun Fire is the first example in the Golden Trout Wilderness of the Forest Service implementing its new fire policy. The east side of the Shotgun fire is being managed to improve wildlife and fisheries habitat, improve forest health, and reduce the unnatural accumulation of forest fuels (dead branches, pine needles and underbrush.) The Forest Service is allowing the Shotgun fire to play its natural role in the shaping of the Sierra Nevada forests and reducing the chance of more severe fires in the future.

At the same time, firefighters are not allowing the fire to spread past Camelback Ridge, located along the west side of the Shotgun Fire. Forest Officials are concerned that if the fire were to spread across Camelback ridge and burn into the bottom of Soda Springs Creek drainage, the fire would cause unacceptable damage to Little Kern Golden Trout and California Spotted Owl habitat. An additional concern is the amount of smoke that could be produced if the fire were to get established and burn as much as 8,000 acres of the Soda Springs Creek drainage.

"A slow moving fire would improve habitat in the Soda Springs Creek drainage," stated Incident Commander Paul Gibbs, "however, current conditions would likely not result in a slow moving fire. Perhaps a future fire start at the top of the drainage would burn downhill allowing the fire to burn with less intensity and create less smoke."

There are no trail closures in the Golden Trout Wilderness but visitors are urged to be cautious when traveling in the area near the fire, alternate routes are recommended. For up-to-date information please contact the Springville office at 559-539-2607.