Single Incident Information

Discovered on July 18, 2022, the lightning-caused Avalanche Fire is burning in steep and rugged terrain high above Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon National Park. Located in designed wilderness, about 1-mile north of Avalanche Peak.

There is no threat to life, property, trails, or infrastructure at this time. However, smoke may be visible from certain spots along Kings Canyon Road (CA Hwy 180 on some maps) when looking south near Roads End or from Zumwalt Meadow.

The fire is in a steep drainage inaccessible to firefighting personnel, Kings Canyon has cliffs that rise over a mile from the valley floor, firefighters are not on the ground considering the low growth potential and that there are no current threats to life or property.

There are several natural rock features surrounding the fire. Currently the fire is being monitored by air. If the fire moves into less steep terrain, ground firefighting personnel may be inserted to monitor or check fire spread. Therefore, the parks’ are suppressing the fire with a confine and contain strategy using natural barriers via monitoring via air as firefighter safety is paramount.  

Smoke impacts in the area are mostly from the Oak Fire burning on state and Sierra National Forest lands to the north. For more information of sources of smoke and the currently area quality for your area, visit fire.airnow.gov