Windy Fire Update
September 14, 2021

The Windy Fire is 1,454 acres with 0% containment. This fire is east of Porterville and burning on the Tule River Indian Reservation and Giant Sequoia National Monument, Sequoia National Forest.  The northern fire perimeter is south of Crawford Creek; the southern perimeter is backing down towards Cedar Creek, the western perimeter is east of the 212 Road on the Tule River Indian Reservation and the eastern side is a mile west of the Summit Trail this morning on the Sequoia National Forest.  Fire growth yesterday was in a southeast direction. The inversion layer today is expected to moderate fire behavior until early afternoon. Warmer air in the afternoon will dry out fuels and fire activity will likely increase. 

The Windy Fire has spread into a portion of the Peyrone Sequoia Grove.  Some of the fire behavior observed has been low-intensity; it will be several days before a preliminary assessment of fire effects on the sequoia grove can be accomplished due to the inaccessibility of the grove.

Firefighters - as always - are working strategically on this fire.  With high demand for firefighters in the west this season, resources are in short supply.  Firefighters will fight this fire directly when it is safe and sensible to do so but are also scouting and building indirect line around the fire.

Tule River Indian Reservation residents and those in and near the communities of Johnsondale, Camp Nelson and Ponderosa are asked to continue monitoring the progress of this fire.  Tulare County residents, if you have not already signed up for AlertTC at AlertTC.com, now is an excellent opportunity to take advantage of your county’s emergency notification system.

Forest Closure in Effect 

The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has announced a temporary closure of eighteen National Forests for public and firefighter safety. This includes the Sequoia National Forest. This closure will be effective through September 17, 2021, at 11:59 p.m., and may be reassessed as conditions change. The full closure order and closure map are available at https://go.usa.gov/xF7EM 

The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team finalized its soil burn severity map for the Tumbledown fire. The BAER team consists of specialists across affected resource areas, including soil scientists, hydrologists, engineers, and recreation specialists. The map identifies 5 percent of the fire area as having high soil burn severity,  and 34 percent with moderate burn severity. The remaining 61 percent has either burned at low severity or is unburned.  

High burn severity is evidenced by the consumption of all ground cover and surface organic matter (tree litter, duff, fine roots), sometimes leaving a layer of ash behind. Moderate burn severity areas will have up to 80 percent ground cover consumed, however roots and soil structure are generally unchanged, and the native seedbank is likely still viable. In areas with low burn severity, the ground often appears lightly charred.  

A soil burn severity map is generated using satellite imagery and validated and adjusted by field surveys, which the BAER team wrapped up last week. In areas that experience high intensity fire, the team observed roots below the soil surface were generally intact and providing soil stability, water is able to infiltrate into the soil at deeper depths, and soil structure was not degraded. 

There still is the risk of erosion on steep, burned hillslopes that lack ground cover. These risks will remain for several years until vegetation recovers. The higher the burn severity, the less likely soil is capable to absorb rainfall, increasing surface runoff and risk of erosion, debris flows, and flooding. The BAER team focuses on evaluating critical values downstream or downslope of highly burned areas that may be at risk. Critical values include public safety, roads, recreation sites, Bull Trout and their habitat, trails, the St. Joe Wild and Scenic River, and more.

Avery, Idaho, September 23, 2021 – Although the Idaho Panhandle has seen a shift toward fall weather, with cooler temperatures and scattered precipitation that has considerably decreased fire behavior, the Tumbledown Fire has not yet been fully contained.  Where feasible across the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, wildfire area closures have been greatly reduced or lifted altogether.  The area closure associated with the Tumbledown Fire on the St. Joe Ranger District was reduced a block around the fire perimeter on 8/31/2021, and that closure remains in place.  All other areas previously closed for public safety during the fire suppression efforts on the St. Joe Ranger District have reopened. 

Uncontained wildfires still have some danger of expanding, the Forest Service still urges visitors to use caution when entering fire affected areas; fire suppression and suppression repair work continues. Recreationists should be prepared to meet heavy equipment and other fire traffic on roads until winter snow closes Highway 50 (St. Joe River Road) for the winter as it typically does on or before December 1st at the town of Avery (mm 47).  The portion of Highway 50 within the area closure (mm 61-75) remains closed under County authority due to hazardous conditions.  The results of the BAER (Burned Area Emergency Response) assessment have identified emergency treatments needed to mitigate threats to critical values that include public safety, bridges, roads, and other resources.  Areas surrounding Highway 50 and the St. Joe River experienced moderate to high soil burn severity on shallow, over-steepened slopes, resulting in a high risk of falling trees, debris flows, and rock fall.  This was demonstrated after an August 21 precipitation event which triggered several debris flows that prohibited passage on Highway 50.  If the area experiences ample precipitation, similar debris flow events are likely to occur again until the burned area recovers and revegetates. 

Specific closure area location information for the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, including maps, are posted on the IPNF Alerts & Notices web page (https://www.fs.usdalgov/alerts/ipnf/alerts-notices); statewide closure information is provided on the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s Fire Map web page (https://idfg.idaho.gov/ifwis/maps/realtime/fire/). 

 NEW CONTACT INFORMATION 
 as of November 2nd, at 6:00 p.m. 

USFS: (660) 232-2629 

alicia.embrey@usda.gov  

NPS: (559) 565-3704 

seki_fire_info@nps.gov 

INCIWEB: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7838/
 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/sequoiakingsnps/                           
 https://www.facebook.com/sequoiaNF/ 

TWITTER:  

https://twitter.com/SequoiaKingsnps  https://twitter.com/sequoiaforest 

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/Sequoiakingsnps  
 
 
 

November 2, 2021 

Acres: 88,307 acres
Containment: 75% 

Start Date: September 10, 2021
Cause: Lightning 

Jurisdiction: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks; Sequoia National Forest 

Resources: 344 Personnel including: 4 crews, 6 engines, 1 water tender, 1 dozer, 13 excavators and 1 helicopter 

This will be the LAST update from California Interagency Incident Management Team 12 (CIIMT 12). The KNP Complex is transitioning at 6:00 p.m. this evening to the National Park Service Type 3 Team and the US Forest Service Type 4 Team. 

On behalf of CIIMT 12, outgoing Incident Commander Mike Nobles wishes to express his sincere gratitude for the continued support and patience from the surrounding communities and visitors from around the world. Today, Nobles gave a final message to firefighters assigned to the KNP Complex saying, “No greater love hath no one this that a firefighter lay down their lives to protect and serve the communities and our precious national resources”.  

The incoming teams will continue to work together to ensure remaining suppression repair work is completed along with hazard tree mitigation.  The following suppression repair work has been completed as of this morning: 56 miles of dozer line with 14 miles still in progress, 15 miles of handline with 4 miles still in progress. 

Firefighters remaining on the fire will continue with mop up operations where it is safe and practical to do so. Chipping work has been completed in the Silver City community and is ongoing for Mineral King. The fire has a low potential for spread as interior pockets of vegetation and heavy, downed logs are consumed. Hazard tree mitigation along roads is ongoing to provide for firefighter and public safety. 

Please note the change below to the contact information for the public information phone number and email address. For the NPS and USFS social media accounts and the InciWeb page, updates will be made as notable activity occurs.  Please continue to monitor these sites for information moving forward. The YouTube channel will remain available to view previous videos but no new information will be provided. 

Weather: Today’s forecast calls for partly cloudy skies but should clear up moving into the afternoon. Temperatures should be couple degrees warmer than yesterday with light winds. 

Closures: The NPS and USFS has closures in place. Please visit the respective website for each agency for the most up-to-date information. 
 
NEW CONTACT INFORMATION 
as of November 2nd, at 6:00 p.m. 

USFS: (660) 232-2629 

alicia.embrey@usda.gov  

NPS: (559) 702-3400 

seki_fire_info@nps.gov   

INCIWEB: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7838/  

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/sequoiakingsnps/
 https://www.facebook.com/sequoiaNF/ 

TWITTER:  

https://twitter.com/SequoiaKingsnps  https://twitter.com/sequoiaforest 

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/Sequoiakingsnps  

 November 1, 2021 

Acres: 88,307 acres    
Containment: 75% 

Start Date: September 10, 2021
Cause: Lightning 

Jurisdiction: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks; Sequoia National Forest 

Resources: 371 Personnel including: 6 crews, 7 engines, 2 water tenders, 1 dozer, 18 excavators and 3 helicopters 

On Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. command of the KNP Complex will transition from the California Interagency Incident Management Team 12 (CIIMT 12), Type 2 team back to the host units. A FINAL operation briefing video for the KNP Complex will be provided this evening on Facebook and YouTube. 

The fire will be managed based on land jurisdiction between the National Park Service and US Forest Service. However, both agencies will work together to utilize resources where it makes the most operational sense to successfully meet objectives and keep crews safe. All personnel from the incoming teams will be integrated into the current operations to get a clear picture of actions being taken on the ground and ask clarifying questions.   This process is extremely important to a successful transition where firefighters continue to meet objectives safely. 

No growth has occurred on the fire and crews are continuing with suppression repair operations. Heavy equipment such as a dozer, excavators, and skids are working to repair contingency lines on Logger Point to level out the landscape and pile debris removed during suppression activities. Firefighters are patrolling the perimeter where it is accessible and safe to do so. Aviation resources are available to assist crews on the ground and perform reconnaissance flights as weather conditions allow. Approximately 100 resources have been released from the fire as work is completed and the incident is right sized to an appropriate size for the incoming Type 3 and Type 4 Teams. 

Weather:  Temperatures will be similar to yesterday with light winds and partly cloudy skies. An isolated afternoon or evening shower is possible but little, if any, moisture over the fire is expected and should not have any impact on the current fire behavior. 

Safety: Crews and heavy equipment are working across the fire area to clear debris from the roads. Please be aware of and respect closures, slow down and turn headlights on for safety. 

Evacuations: Visit: https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=4b2ac27b5c8943ed92c0e77aa94daca0 

Closures: Visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/7838/ 
 
 

FIRE INFORMATION  
PUBLIC INFORMATION AND MEDIA: (925) 588-6773 
EMAIL: 2021.KNP@firenet.gov 
INCIWEB: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7838/ 
YOUTUBE: https://bit.ly/2021KNPComplex  
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/sequoiakingsnps/ and https://www.facebook.com/sequoiaNF/ 
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SequoiaKingsnps and https://twitter.com/sequoiaforest 
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/Sequoiakingsnps 

 October 31, 2021 

Acres: 88,307 acres    
Containment: 75% 

Start Date: September 10, 2021
Cause: Lightning 

Jurisdiction: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks; Sequoia National Forest 

Resources: 492 Personnel including: 7 crews, 12 engines, 4 water tenders, 1 dozer, 18 excavators and 3 helicopters 

A Sequoia Protection group is in place along the northwest portion of the fire. Firefighters assigned to this group are working closely with local resource advisors to identify hazardous cedar and fir trees to mark them for removal. Part of the criteria for hazard tree removal includes standing dead trees that will impact the road, parking areas, and pullouts. Fallers are mitigating these hazards over the next few days to provide safe access for visitors once they are allowed to enter the area. 

Suppression repair work across the fire area is focusing on preventing further damage to the land and provide erosion control. This is done by constructing water bars and covering both handline and dozer line with vegetation. Crews are patrolling the fire perimeter where it is safe to do so, checking for any remaining heat, and holding containment lines. With the completion of both suppression and suppression repair work, firefighters are backhauling equipment from the field that is no longer needed.  Heavy equipment, chippers, and crews are being reassigned to other areas of the fire as work is completed. Chipping operations along the Mineral King Road are ongoing. Coordination is taking place daily with local resource advisors to prioritize groves and provide for the highest possibility of success. 

As objectives are met across the fire area, the Incident Management Team is releasing resources and right sizing the organization.  This is in preparation for the transition from a Type 2 Incident Management Team to a smaller, local Type 3 Organization on the evening of Tuesday, November 2, 2021.   

Weather:  Cooler weather and precipitation has moderated fire behavior. Patchy fog is a possibility in the lower elevations this morning and should dissipate by 10:00 a.m. Today is predicted be two to four degrees cooler than yesterday with partly cloudy skies and light winds. 

Safety: Crews and heavy equipment are working across the fire area to clear debris from the roads. Please be aware of and respect closures, slow down and turn headlights on for safety. 
 
FIRE INFORMATION  
PUBLIC INFORMATION AND MEDIA: (925) 588-6773 
EMAIL: 2021.KNP@firenet.gov 
INCIWEB: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7838/ 
YOUTUBE: https://bit.ly/2021KNPComplex  
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/sequoiakingsnps/ and https://www.facebook.com/sequoiaNF/ 
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SequoiaKingsnps and https://twitter.com/sequoiaforest 
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/Sequoiakingsnps 

Evacuations: Visit: https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=4b2ac27b5c8943ed92c0e77aa94daca0 

Closures: Visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/7838/ 

October 30, 2021 

Acres: 88,307 acres     Containment: 73% 

Start Date: September 10, 2021 Cause: Lightning 

Jurisdiction: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks; Sequoia National Forest 

Resources: 537 personnel including: 8 crews, 13 engines, 5 water tenders, 1 dozer and 5 helicopters 

Yesterday, a helitack crew was inserted into the Red Meadow Cabin for the second day in a row to remove structure wrap and all other structure protection equipment. This mission was successfully completed and crews were able to assess Quinn and Walkers Cabins.  A plan will be implemented over the next few days to remove structure protection equipment for these two cabins. An infrared flight over the fire revealed remaining pockets of heat within the interior of the fire perimeter. This fire behavior is taking place in large pieces of fuel such as heavy, downed logs, as well as creeping through vegetation along the ground.  This creeping fire is in areas where the tree canopy is too thick for significant moisture to penetrate thru the canopy to reach the ground. In areas where this activity is close to the road, crews will assess the fire to determine if it is safe to actively engage based on terrain, hazard trees in the vicinity, and if there is a threat to containment lines. Due to recent drought conditions, two to four inches of rain will not put the fire “out” as the vegetation is very dry.  It will take multiple storms with significant moisture to see an impact to current fire behavior. 

Heavy equipment is being utilized in the Eshom Creek area to complete suppression repair work to restore the land back to its natural state.  Suppression repair work is ongoing across the fire and includes chipping along the Mineral King Road. While containment has not increased today, the remaining open fire line has a low potential to spread any further. This uncontrolled line remains due to limited access to this remote and rugged terrain. The uncontrolled fire line north of Lodgepole Campground has a granite barrier to act as a natural feature should a rare and unlikely weather event cause it to spread further. The remaining uncontrolled line to the west and north of Atwell Grove is in the snow pack from a storm earlier in the week. The Incident Management Team has a high level of confidence that little to no further spread will occur in these two areas but are monitoring the remaining heat in both areas.  A plan is in place to reallocate resources to these areas should the need arise. Crews are continuing with suppression repair work for handline and dozer line while monitoring the uncontrolled line by ground and air. Suppression repair work is expected to be mostly completed by the time the team transitions the fire back to local agencies early next week. 

Weather:  Today will be slightly cooler than previous days with an increase in relative humidities. At this time, there is no precipitation forecasted for the weekend. 

Safety: Crews and heavy equipment are working across the fire area to clear debris from the roads. Please be aware of and respect closures, slow down and turn headlights on for safety. 

Evacuations: Visit: https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=4b2ac27b5c8943ed92c0e77aa94daca0.  

 October 29, 2021 

Acres: 88,307 acres
Containment: 73% 

Start Date: September 10, 2021
Cause: Lightning 

Jurisdiction: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks; Sequoia National Forest 

Resources: 539 personnel including: 8 crews, 13 engines, 5 water tenders, 1 dozer and 6 helicopters 

National Park Service road crews were able to clear Mineral King Rd enough for light vehicles and ambulances to gain access up to the snow level at about 8,000 feet. Firefighters are fully engaged in areas that were previously inaccessible due to rain, mud, and snow. Crews are seeking out heat signatures in stump holes, downed and standing trees. While rain/snow was received over the fire, it was not all absorbed by the fuels or into the ground. This is due to a very thick and dense canopy provided by the Sequoia trees. With only minimal moisture making its way through the canopy isolated pockets of heat are still being found around the fire perimeter. Firefighters working to seek out and extinguish this type of fire activity which can create challenges and safety concerns. Cold trailing or mop up will occasionally show some flame or smoke it can also have heat that is hidden inside burning logs, burned out stumps, and within thick duff layers on the ground. As crews continue with this work, containment will be incrementally increasing over the upcoming days. 

Whether fighting active flames or cold trailing line, safety is the number one priority. As one of the tools used to keep firefighters safe Rapid Extraction Modules (REM) are used. A REM team is made up of a four-person crew that is equipped to extract injured firefighters quickly, effectively, and safely from rugged terrain. Most teams consist of two paramedics and two technical rescue firefighters. This configuration allows for an injured firefighter to receive needed medical attention from paramedics while the technical rescue workers set up ropes, pullies, and other necessary equipment to get the patient to the transport vehicle. These highly specialized teams are just one example of the safety and support provided to firefighters on the line. 

Weather: Today will be another warm and dry day as temperatures remain similar to yesterday. A weak disturbance will move over northern California this weekend, bringing a little cooling and a slight increase in humidity and winds. 

Safety: Crews and heavy equipment are working across the fire area to clear debris from the roads. Please be aware of and respect closures, slow down and turn headlights on for safety. 

Evacuations: Visit: https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=4b2ac27b5c8943ed92c0e77aa94daca0.  

Closures: Visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/7838/. 
 
FIRE INFORMATION  
PUBLIC INFORMATION AND MEDIA: (925) 588-6773 
EMAIL: 2021.KNP@firenet.gov 
INCIWEB: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7838/ 
YOUTUBE: https://bit.ly/2021KNPComplex  
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/sequoiakingsnps/ and https://www.facebook.com/sequoiaNF/ 
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SequoiaKingsnps and https://twitter.com/sequoiaforest 
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/Sequoiakingsnps