Single Publication

Unified Command: CIIMT5 & CAL FIRE 

Fire Size: 3,678  

Percent Contained: 0% 

Personnel: 1,142

Cause: Lightning

Start Date: Saturday, August 3, 2024, at 10:05 AM

Location: Southeast of Three Rivers, CA

NEW EVACUATION WARNING: An Evacuation WARNING has been issued for the area’s TLC-E128-A and TLC-E127-B, north of South Fork Drive, south of Skyline Drive, east of Skyline Drive, and west of South Fork Drive. Zones TLC-E094-B and TLC-E128-B will remain in a WARNING. To find out if you live in an evacuation warning zone, visit protect.genasys.com.

An Evacuation Warning means you should prepare to evacuate the area should the fire approach your home. Please stay clear and out of the areas affected by the fire. If there is an emergency, please dial 911. For more information on evacuations, alert notifications, and zone information, please visit tularecounty.ca.gov/emergencies.
 

FIRE INFORMATION: A Public Information Officer will be at the Three Rivers Village Market daily from 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM to provide fire information and answer questions.  If you were unable to attend or view the public meeting last night it is available on Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Facebook @SequoiaKingsNPS and YouTube channel @sequoiaandkingscanyonnps5018.

CURRENT SITUATION: The Coffee Pot Fire increased by 244 acres. Sixty-three percent of primary and indirect control lines totaling nearly 18 miles have been constructed. Indirect control lines between South Fork Drive and Cinnamon Gap, Cinnamon Gap to the top of Case Mountain, the Tower Check to Mineral King Road, and along South Fork Drive have been completed. Hoses, pumps, and storage tanks were placed along the indirect control lines to assist with fire operations. Firefighters also removed brush and chipped materials along Mineral King Road and conducted a low-intensity backing fire to remove vegetation in the Eden Creek grove of Giant Sequoias. Three, 10-person Fire Use Modules began implementing indirect control lines on the eastern flank, heading toward Homers Nose. 

Now that we have established indirect control lines on the southern and western flanks, we are shifting our focus to a direct attack to contain the fire and protect the adjacent communities. If all conditions are favorable, crews will initiate a strategic firing operation using a backing fire to control the intensity and rate of spread of the fire. Beginning tonight, crews and engines will work around the clock to support the firing operation. The strategic firing operation will start near Case Mountain and continue to South Fork Drive, employing drip torches and targeted aerial ignition. We anticipate that this operation will last multiple days.

WEATHER: High pressure building in the area will bring continued warming and drying today. Skies will be sunny, with haze and smoke. Diurnal winds will be out of the northeast in the early morning, shifting out of the west southwest by mid-morning, and gusting over ridges in the afternoon. Temperatures should peak tomorrow, slightly cooling later in the week.

SMOKE IMPACTS: Conditions have improved for most of the area since yesterday. The exception is near Springville and the surrounding area immediately south of the fire, which is seeing air quality between UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS and UNHEALTHY. This should improve to MODERATE during the day, but will likely return to UNHEALTHY overnight, with conditions that are UNSAFE FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS likely in Porterville. Smoke has settled back in to the Three Rivers area, with levels ranging from MODERATE to UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS, as of this morning. We should see this smoke disperse during the day, recovering to MODERATE this afternoon before returning to UNHEALTHY overnight. Light northerly winds have kept the air clear farther north of the fire, but we will likely see levels return to UNSAFE FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS in the Giant Forest area tonight. The Mineral King area will likely see levels rise to UNSAFE FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS this afternoon, improving overnight. For more information on current wildfire smoke impacts in your community, please visit AirNow.gov or fire.airnow.gov.

HIGHWAY AND ROAD IMPACTS: Highway 198, Mineral King Road, and Generals Highway in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are open. Due to heavy equipment and personnel working on Mineral King Road, expect 30-minute delays or longer. Please plan accordingly. Visitors should exercise extreme caution, stay alert, and drive slowly to keep themselves and fire crews safe.

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 Lady Bug and Garfield Grove Trails, are closed. 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.