Single Publication

Sierra National Forest                                 

Basin Fire Update         

Friday, July 5, 2024                               

Public Fire Information: 559-468-6809, 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. 

Media Information: 559-492.9967 

Email: 2024.basin@firenet.gov

Facebook: @SierraNF

PEOPLE AND EQUIPMENT:  1,351 personnel, 30 crews, 83 engines, 13 helicopters, and 16 dozers. 

URRENT SITUATION: The Basin Fire is at 14,020 acres. Containment is 46%.  The heat wave continues and the National Weather Service yesterday issued a Red Flag Warning that includes the western tip of the fire. The Warning is scheduled to expire at noon today.

• Eastern perimeter:  The eastern side of the fire continues to remain within the constructed lines, however rollout of burning material may still occur.  This area is being monitored by aircraft and firefighters in the area. 

• Southern perimeter:  Containment line has been secured along the South Fork of the Kings River and the area is being monitored. Crews have not detected any remaining heat.

• Western perimeter:  Crews have boxed in the fire with a combination of dozer line and retardant. Firefighters are continuing to secure this area.

•  Northern perimeter: Creating safe access to the northern edge of the fire in the Dinkey Creek drainage continues to be a priority. A helicopter rappelling crew has been ordered.  The very steep and inaccessible terrain is a good match for this kind of crew; they are not used often. They will build a temporary helicopter landing area for inserting and removing firefighters north of the fire. Crews will then be able to access this area and build fire-line.

• Contingency Lines:  Dozers have improved roads into northwestern perimeter from the west, to allow smaller vehicles at least partial access. Further north of the fire perimeter, work continues to build contingency fire lines using crews, dozers, masticators, and feller-bunchers, to block the fire if it starts moving north.

An EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING through next Thursday is affecting the fire with high temperatures, drying vegetation, and little relief at night. Temperatures were as high as 108 yesterday and relative humidity dropped as low as 15 percent. Today, temperatures across the fire are forecast to be in the 90s and low 100s, with minimum humidity of 18-22%. Low winds expected with gusts up to 9 mph. Cooling stations have been brought into the fire camps to help reduce the cumulative effects of heat stress on firefighters.

The Basin Fire started on June 26, 2024, and the cause is currently under investigation. Currently, the fire is burning at 2000-4500 elevation, northeast of Pine Flat Lake, west of the Spanish Mountain, south of Black Rock Rd (11S012) and north of the South Fork of the Kings River.

Updates are posted on Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/casnf-basin-fire.

EVACUATIONS: The mandatory evacuation order remains in place for Fresno County zones K29, K30, K31, K40, K41 & K166. Evacuation warnings are in effect for zones K61 & K76. Check the Fresno County Evacuation map:

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=e7d6006a016a444db8b210ac4d2eb5cf