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  • wildfire Wildfire
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Windy Fire

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Unit Information

Sequoia National Forest 
220 E. Morton Ave 
Porterville, 
California 
93257 
Sequoia National Forest 
220 E. Morton Ave 
Porterville, 
California 
93257 

Incident Contacts

  • Sequoia National Forest
    Email:
    denise.alonzo@usda.gov
    Phone:
    559-539-2607
    Hours:
    Mon - Fri 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Windy Fire Update, September 25, 2021

Windy Fire
Publication Type: News 10/26/2022
VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING: A virtual community meeting for the Windy Fire will be held on Sunday, September 26th, at 6 P.M. The meeting will be live-streamed on the Sequoia National Forest Facebook @Sequoia NF and available on Zoom.  Information for connecting on Zoom will be available later today and posted on Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7841. If you have questions you want addressed during the meeting, please email them to 2021.Windy@firenet.gov.

 RESOURCES: 1,776 personnel, 45 hand crews, 121 engines, 14 helicopters, 20 dozers, 6 water tenders
 Structures Threatened: 2,000 Residences, Commercial 100, Structures Destroyed: 0, Commercial, 2

 CURRENT SITUATION: The Windy Fire is 71,349 acres with 5% containment. The fire is burning on the Tule River Indian Reservation and the Sequoia National Forest, including the Giant Sequoia National Monument. The fire is being influenced by severe drought which can be categorized by extremely dry vegetation (trees, brush, grass), hot temperatures, low humidity, and steep, rugged terrain.

 Last night, with little humidity recovery and very warm temperatures, the fire continued to burn actively especially around California Hot Springs, Sugarloaf and north of Tobias Peak. Just south of Ponderosa, firefighters conducted a defensible firing operation east to the Lloyd Meadow Road (FS Road 22S28) and were successful in getting a good black line to stop the forward progress of the fire.

 Today, the highest priority continues to be structure protection in California Hot Springs, Sugarloaf, Ponderosa Camp Nelson, and other areas around the fire’s perimeter. Firefighters will work to get control of a 10-acre spot fir in Sugarloaf area near the Capinero Road. To date, no structures have been reported destroyed or damaged in California Hot Springs or Sugarloaf areas.

 On the southeast side, the fire continues to back down Speas Ridge east towards the Kern River. Firefighters will be working in the Fairview area clearing around structures. They will also be working along the Sugarloaf Road (23S16) and providing structure protection in the Vincent/Tobias Meadow area.

 On the westside, on the Tule River Indian Reservation, firefighters continue to hold and advance the containment lines to stop the fire’s progress to the west. Crews continue to scout the Two and Quarter Road south towards Wheaton for opportunities to contain the fire.

 On the north side, crews continue to construct and improve containment lines along the Coy Flat Road (FS Road 21S94) to Coy Flat. If conditions permit, firefighters may do a defensible firing operation along the Coy Flat Road into the Castle Fire perimeter.  Crews and structure protection engines will be in place in Camp Nelson and Mountainaire.

 On the northeast side near Ponderosa, crews will be holding and improving the containment line from last night’s firing operation conducted from the Western Divide Highway east to the Lloyd Meadow Road (FS Road 22S28). On the east side, along Lloyd Meadow Road crews will continue to use the road to strengthen containment lines south to M99 Road. Crews will continue looking for and extinguishing any hots spots (burning trees, stumps) along the road.

 WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR: Smoky, warm and dry conditions will again persist across the fire area.  Afternoon temperatures will climb into the upper 70’s to lower 80’s.  Humidity will be a little higher today, in the 20-30% range, with poor recovery tonight.

 EVACUATIONS ORDERS: The following information is from the Tulare County Sherriff’s Office.  Evacuation orders and warnings can change suddenly. Please refer to https://tularecounty.ca.gov/emergencies/  for Windy Fire Evacuation Warning Area Map. Please call 2-1-1 for more information.
  • The communities of Sugar Loaf, Sugarloaf Mountain Park, Sugarloaf Saw Mill, White River, Idlewild, Posey, Panorama Heights, Poso, Balance Rock, Spear Creek, from the existing Hot Springs Evacuation Order west to King George Peak, south to County M56, including Oak Flat, Twin Peak, to Vincent Ranch at the Tulare-Kern Counties Border, east to Portuguese Peak, and back north to Dunlap Meadow.
  • California Hot Springs and Pine Flat areas. The evacuation order includes M-504 at Tyler Creek, Southeast to Pine Flat, West to M-56 and Fire Control Road, North up Tyler Creek Road. This includes structures, side roads, and attached roads
  • Camp Nelson and surrounding communities
  • Johnsondale and Camp Whitsett, including M107 at Dome Rock, east to Lloyd Meadow Road (FS Road 22S82), south to M99 at Sherman Pass Road, west to M107 and M50.
  • Ponderosa and Quaking Aspen. The warning area includes M107 at Dome Rock, north to Highway 190/M90 at North Road (FS Road 21S50), east to Route 21S05, at Needles Trail, south to Lloyd Meadow at Lower Peppermint Road (FS Road 22S82).
  • The areas of McNally’s. From Sherman Pass Road to Corral Creek
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION ALERTS: Tulare County residents can sign up to receive county emergency notifications by registering at AlertTC.com.

 WINDY FIRE ANIMAL EVACUATION CENTER:  For domestic animals and poultry, Tulare County Animal Service Shelter, 14131 Avenue 256, Visalia, CA 93292.  Large animals and livestock can be taken to the International Agri-Center, 4500 S Laspina St, Tulare, CA 93274.

 ROAD CLOSURES AND RESTRICTIONS: 
  • At Jack Ranch Road and Old Stage Road
  • Highway 190 and Rio Vista
  • MT99 at Gold Ledge Campground
  • MT56 at Fountain Springs
DAILY SMOKE OUTLOOK:  https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/SouthernSierra-Sequoia AirNow: Fire and Smoke Map: https://fire.airnow.gov/

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST CLOSURES: Please refer to https://www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia for more information and a map of the closed areas.

 HUNTING IN SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST: Is possible outside of Forest Closure areas.  Please refer to the link above for the closure areas to avoid. Please note that Sherman Pass Road is closed to Blackrock.

 MEDIA: A new Media Phone number has been established, please call (213) 503-4243
Related Links:
Related Information:
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pict20210825-151224-0.pdf (178.26 KB) 178.26 KB
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