Single Publication

SOUTHWEST AREA TYPE 1 INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM 2 September 27, 2021
Dave Bales – Incident Commander

Acres:  46,976 acres (based on infrared flight)                  

Containment: 8%

Start Date: September 10, 2021                                           

Cause: Lightning

Jurisdiction: Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park

Resources:   1,804 personnel including: 49 crews, 72 engines, 39 water tenders, 32 dozers and 11 helicopters

As of 6:00 PM Sunday night Southwest Area Incident Management Team 2 assumed command of the KNP Complex. The incident management team will be working closely with Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Cal-Fire, Sequoia National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, California National Guard, and multiple other cooperating agencies. Fire managers will continue to use full suppression strategies in an effort to protect the surrounding communities impacted, natural resources, and critical infrastructure. Firefighters are using a combination of direct and indirect suppression tactics by constructing containment lines with heavy equipment, hand crews, engines, aircraft, and miscellaneous personnel. Resources look to also utilize natural barriers and seek areas of opportunity to conduct back fire operations to establish containment lines when conditions are favorable. 

Along the northern perimeter firefighters helped to protect the Muir Grove by utilizing firing ignitions to move fire through the grove to minimize impacts from the fire. Crews also focused efforts on building hand line, putting in hose lays and constructing contingency lines. Firefighters on the north east side scouted for opportunities to construct containment lines looking to progress east and connect to existing containment lines. Resources on the east flank of the fire will be securing established containment lines near and within the Giant Forest as they were successful with the help from fuels treatment projects and prescribed (RX) fire that has been done in and around the national park. On the southern flank resources along Mineral King road will monitor the fire and continue to provide structure protection to the communities Silver City and Mineral King as the fire moves down slope towards holding features. Firefighters on the western perimeter remain engaged with structure protection in the Three Rivers community, Ash Mountain, and critical infrastructure. Air operations will continue to support ground operations as smoke conditions allow across the entire fire area.

There have been no new evacuation Warnings or Orders for the KNP Complex in the past 24 hours. All evacuation warnings and orders that that have been issued are still active. Areas currently under an evacuation warning are urged to be ready to mobilize and leave should the warning escalate to an evacuation order. Explore a map of the areas under a warning or order at www.tularecounty.ca.gov/emergencies. A Red Cross evacuation center is located at the Woodlake Community Center at 145 Magnolia St, Woodlake, CA.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are closed west of the Pacific Crest Trail and south of the ridgeline which lies north of Ionian Basin. In addition, the BLM Case Mountain Extensive Recreation Management Area and major portions of the Sequoia National Forest are also closed.

Communities surrounding the park and in the nearby region are being affected by smoke and the resulting poor air quality. Track your local air quality at https://www.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/FresnoCA.

Wildfires are a No Drone Zone.  IF YOU FLY, WE CAN’T.  Every time a drone is spotted near the fire all firefighting aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of this area. More info visit: http:/knowbeforeyoufly.org.

FIRE INFORMATION:

PUBLIC: (559) 492-9988 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.); MEDIA: (559) 492-9967 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.); EMAIL: 2021.KNP@firenet.gov

InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7838/