Single Publication

Start Date: 9/9

Cause: Lightning

Size: 97,554

Percent Containment: 88

Helicopters:  7

Engines: 39

Crews: 26

Dozers: 8

Total Personnel: 1101

CURRENT CONDITIONS: A powerful storm system moved into the Kern RiverValley overnight, bringing strong winds and cooler temperatures. A high wind warning takes effect today, with widespread gusts of 30 to 50 miles per hour on mountain peaks and gusts as high as 60 miles per hour along and east of the Divide.

To prepare for this event, firefighters spent the weekend monitoring open sections of the fireline, looking for signs of heat or fire that could threaten containment lines. They also patrolled completed portions of fireline and strengthened them where necessary to prevent a wind-driven breach. This mop-up work included chipping fallen trees, removing the chips, and felling dead or dying trees that pose a safety concern.

The Sequoia Group, a division of Great Basin Incident Management Team 6, spent the weekend assessing specific groves in the Sequoia National Forest to identify trees threatened by fire and doing necessary work to reduce additional tree mortality.

TULARE COUNTY RESIDENT INFORMATION: Residents requesting information on the status of their property can call the Tulare County Information Hotline at (559) 802-9790. Affected property owners should complete the September Lightning Fire Information Form online at: https://bit.ly/3ETdZjI. Residents can sign up to receive county emergency notifications by registering at AlertTC.com.  

EVACUATION ORDERS AND WARNINGS: Because evacuation orders and warnings change often as fire containment grows, evacuees should refer to the Windy Fire Evacuation Warning Map at https://tularecounty.ca.gov/emergencies/ or call 211 for the latest information. Evacuation updates can be found on Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7841 and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SequoiaNF/.  

According to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, evacuation orders are in effect in the following areas: 

• White River Summer Home Tract, Sugarloaf Saw Mill, Sugarloaf Mountain Park.

• Mountain Aire and Rogers Camp. 

• Johnsondale and Camp Whitsett, including M107 at Dome Rock, east to Lloyd Meadow Road (Forest Service Road 22S82), south to M99 at Sherman Pass Road, and west to M107 and M50. A roadblock prevents access to M99 and R Ranch and M50 and M107.  

   

The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuation warnings for the following roads and areas:

• The McNallys area (Sherman Pass Road to Corral Creek, the community of R Ranch, structures, Forest Service roads, dirt roads, access roads, attached roads, and campgrounds).

• Both sides of the Kern River from the Goldledge Campground south to Riverkern, Tulare County, and at the Tulare/Kern border. This warning includes all private properties, businesses, residences, structures, campsites, campgrounds, Forest Service roads, access roads, attached roads, and trails.

• Alpine Village, Camp Nelson, Cedar Slope, Coy Flat, Pierpoint, Quaking Aspen, Ponderosa, and Sequoia Crest.  

• Sugarloaf Village, Panorama Heights, Poso Park, Idlewild, Pleasant View, Balance Rock, Posey, and Vincent Ranch. The boundaries will be from Sugarloaf Peak west to Buck Peak; south to Vincent Ranch at the Tulare/Kern County line; east to Forest Service Road 24S07; and north to Sugarloaf Peak. 

• California Hot Springs and Pine Flat areas. The evacuation order includes M504 at Tyler Creek, southeast to Pine Flat, west to M56 and Fire Control Road, and north up Tyler Creek Road. This includes structures, side roads, and all attached roads. 

  ROAD CLOSURES AND RESTRICTIONS: Updates on road closures can be found on Inciweb https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7841 and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SequoiaNF/.  

  The following roads are closed: 

• At Jack Ranch Road and Old Stage Road  

• Quaking Aspen and M107  

• MT56 at Fountain Springs  

• M50 at the Hot Springs Ranger Station for northbound traffic  

• Forest Service Road 23S05 

   

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