Single Publication

Unified Command: CAIIMT15 & CAL FIRE 

Fire Size: 14,080 acres 

Percent Contained: 71% 

Primary Strategic Control Line: 96% 

Personnel: 833

Cause: Lightning 

Start Date: Saturday, August 3, 2024, at 10:05 a.m. 

Location: Southeast of Three Rivers, CA

CURRENT SITUATION: Southeastern Area Complex Incident Management Team Two will shadow California Interagency Complex Incident Management Team 15 today and take command of the Coffee Pot Fire at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 15th. Shadowing ensures a smooth transition from one team to another with the transfer of the current strategic situation that has taken place over the team’s tenure.

On the fireline, crews continued to work diligently on the fire activity south of Homers Nose and around the confluence of Horse Creek and the East Fork Kaweah River. Aircraft reinforced hand line construction with targeted retardant applications and firefighters monitored the line throughout the day to ensure it was holding. Building on progress from the previous day’s work, firefighters continued to mop-up and secure the line around the remainder of the fire’s edge. Fire behavior continued to diminish; control lines are holding well, and most of the remaining smoke and heat are well inside the burned area and are not expected to threaten the control lines.

Today, firefighters will continue to work on the northeast portion of the fire; construction will continue on the direct handlines that run parallel to the East Fork Kaweah River and adjacent to Horse Creek. Crews around the remainder of the fire perimeter will continue to hold and patrol the lines and backhaul any unneeded equipment. Road work, fuel reduction, and contingency line planning will continue on Mineral King Road east toward Silver City. Crews will evaluate structure protection needs around the communities of Mineral King, Silver City, and Cabin Cove o an abundance of caution in the unlikely event that the eastern flank of the fire breaches control lines.

WEATHER: Similar temperatures and winds can be anticipated across the area today. Smoke dispersion will be slightly better due to a moderately less stable atmosphere aloft. As a low-pressure system moves in from the north on Sunday, expect a small drop in daytime temperatures, a slight increase in relative humidity and afternoon winds, and a very slight chance of precipitation on Sunday night.

SMOKE IMPACTS: Expect similar conditions today as yesterday throughout the outlook area. Hammond will continue to see MODERATE air quality conditions, while areas far north and south of the fire will be in GOOD air quality today. Giant Forest and Three Rivers may see brief periods of MODERATE impacts late afternoon. For more information on current wildfire smoke impacts in your community, please visit AirNow.gov or fire.airnow.gov.

EVACUATION NOTICES: The Tulare County Fire Department has issued Evacuation WARNINGS for zones TLC-E094-B, TLC-E094-C, TLC-E094-D, TLC-E094-E, and TLC-E095. To find your zone, please refer to: protect.genasys.com.

FIRE INFORMATION: A Public Information Officer will be at the Three Rivers Village Market daily from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. to provide fire information and answer questions. 

BLM AND PARK CLOSURES: The portion of South Fork Drive within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and trails accessed from the road, including the Ladybug and Garfield Grove Trails, are closed. Recreational access to the Mineral King area of Sequoia National Park is closed to the public. This applies to Mineral King campgrounds, trailheads, and area trails. All other areas of the parks are open but are likely to be impacted by varying levels of smoke and poor air quality. Park closure information is available online at nps.gov/seki. The Bureau of Land Management has also issued a closure of the Case Mountain Extensive Recreation Management Area at blm.gov/press-release.

PUBLIC NOTICE: Wildfires are a no-fly zone for unauthorized aircraft, including drones. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit knowbeforeyoufly.org.