SOUTHERN AREA INCIDENT MANAGEMENT BLUE TEAM
Mark Morales – Incident Commander
KNP Complex Update - September 23, 2021

Acres:  33,046 acres (based on infrared flight)                                  
Percent Containment: 0%
Start Date: September 11, 2021                                                             
Cause: Lightning
Jurisdiction: Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park
Resources:  1,518 personnel including  47 crews,  60 engines,  34 water tenders, and 21 helicopters

The KNP Complex, ignited by lightning on the night of September 9 and reported two days later, continues to grow in Sequoia National Park.  Incident priorities for protection consist of life and property within Sequoia National Park, the Sequoia National Forest and surrounding communities followed by the protection of the Giant Sequoia Groves within the National Park and National Forest.  There has been 4,718 acres of growth on the fire in the last 24 hours.

Sheriff Boudreaux has issued EVACUATION WARNINGS for the communities of Eshom and Hartland Camp, including Eshom Valley Drive, from Fresno County Line, South to Tarbell Pocket on Eshom Valley Drive, and North Mountain Road, 468 North to the County line. The warning includes all structures, side roads, associated roads, and forest service roads, due to the KNP Complex Fire.

News Release

PORTERVILLE, Calif., September 21, 2021 – The Sequoia National Forest implements Forest Order No. 0513-21-33 to expand the KNP Complex Forest Areas, Roads, and Trails Closure Order in the Hume Lake Ranger District. This Closure Order supersedes Forest Order 0513-21- 30 and closes specifically identified roads and trails to protect public health and safety. The closure order will be in effect from September 21 through December 31, 2021.

The order, exemptions, and map are available for viewing on the Sequoia National Forest website, https://www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia/. To view more information regarding the KNP Complex Fire, visit Inciweb, https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7838/.

Virtual services are available by emailing SM.FS.SequoiaNF@usda.gov Monday – Friday from 9 am to 4 pm. The health and safety of visitors and employees is our highest priority. We are committed to supporting our communities and fulfill our mission as we all work together.

Stay informed as we continue to monitor the COVID-19 and Delta variant pandemic by following our webpage at www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia, Facebook @SequoiaNF, or Twitter @sequoiaforest or call for current Forest information.

SOUTHERN AREA INCIDENT MANAGEMENT BLUE TEAM

Mark Morales – Incident Commander
KNP Complex Update - September 22, 2021

Acres: 28,328 acres (based on infrared flight)
Percent Containment: 0%
Start Date: September 11, 2021
Cause: Lightning
Jurisdiction: Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park
Resources: 1,412 personnel including 42 crews, 55 engines, 20 water tenders, and 8 helicopters

The KNP Complex, ignited by lightning on the night of September 9, continues to grow in Sequoia National Park. The highest priority for operations is the protection of life and property within Sequoia National Park, the Sequoia National Forest and surrounding communities. The second highest priority is the protection of the Giant Forest followed by park infrastructure. There has been about 1,399 acres of growth on the fire in the last 24 hours.

In the area of Paradise Ridge, firefighters are working to stop the fire from spreading south. In the southwest section of the park near Ash Mountain, CALFIRE is continuing to reinforce control and contingency lines in the event that fire moves out into flatter terrain. Resources in the northwest section and the King’s Canyon area has greatly increased. Firefighters are taking advantage of existing surface fuels treatments and building dozer and mastication lines.

Firefighters are engaged in areas where the fire moved across Generals Highway to ensure the fire doesn’t begin moving toward the Lodgepole area. For the past several days, four crews of California Army National Guard troops (about 80 individuals) have been assisting with mop up operations in the Wuksachi Village area to protect the lodge and surrounding buildings. Work is continuing in the Giant Forest to make sure the fire doesn’t progress further to the east, and control operations are occurring to keep the fire to the west of the Generals Highway.

Weather will continue to be warmer and drier with light winds today. The potential for smoke clearing could allow active fire behavior, and air operations will take advantage of any improved visibilities with priority on the Paradise Ridge, Ash Mountain, and Crystal Cave areas.

A community meeting will be held today at the Three Rivers Memorial Building located at 43490 Sierra Dr. at 7 p.m.

There have been no changes to evacuation warnings or orders at this time, but residents in 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 an evacuation warning or order, as well as other evacuation resources, 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 National Park is closed to the public and large portions of Kings Canyon National Park have now been closed.

Communities further from the parks are also feeling air quality impacts. Track your local air quality at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/SouthernSierra-Sequoia.

Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. Every time a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of this area. More info visit Know Before You Fly, http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

FIRE INFORMATION:
MEDIA: (559) 492-9967 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.); PUBLIC: (559) 492-9988; EMAIL: 2021.KNP@firenet.gov
InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7838/
Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: @SequoiaKingsNPS

Due to unprecedented demand for media access to the KNP Fire area, the media tour today to the Giant Forest is being converted to a pool option. Although the plan is to take the tour to the Giant Forest, there are concerns about hazard trees and roll out on the Generals Highway causing hazardous conditions and the inability to access the area.

An updated closure order has been issued for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, adding Cedar Grove and Grant Grove to previous closures. All visitor services and attractions for all of Sequoia and Kings Canyon are now closed.
The following areas are temporarily closed to all individuals until further notice:   -All lands within the boundaries of Sequoia National Park west of the Pacific Crest Trail, all lands of Kings Canyon National Park west of the Pacific Crest Trail and south of the ridgeline which lies north of Ionian Basin.   This regulation does not apply to the following:   -Firefighters, emergency services personnel and overhead personnel assigned to the KNP Complex, or any fires that are within the boundary or directly impact or threaten the parks. -Other individuals approved by the Incident Commander. A firefighter escort will be required in areas of active fire or upon direction of the Incident Commander. -Residents of National Park Service housing and residents of the Wilsonia Community. -Travel directly through Grant Grove along the Highway 180 corridor will continue to be permitted, stopping along Highway 180 is prohibited.   For a map of Sequoia and Kings Canyon closures in effect visit go.nps.gov/SEKIClosures   Current information about park closures and conditions can be found on the park website www.nps.gov/seki

A media tour to the Giant Forest and the General Sherman Tree in the Sequoia National Park will be held on Wednesday September 22, 2021 at 12:30 p.m. This tour will be limited in capacity and registration is REQUIRED by calling the KNP Complex Media Phone line at 559-492-9967. Each participant will be responsible for providing their own personal protective equipment (PPE) including nomex shirt and pants, hardhat, leather gloves and leather boots above the ankle. The tour is expected to last approximately four hours in duration. Participants in the tour will be required to remain with the group and the escorts for the entire duration of the tour. Please contact the KNP Media Phone Line at 559-492-9967 to register.

SOUTHERN AREA INCIDENT MANAGEMENT BLUE TEAM
Mark Morales – Incident Commander
KNP Complex Update - September 21, 2021
Acres: 25,147 acres (based on infrared flight)
Percent Containment: 0%
Start Date: September 11, 2021
Cause: Lightning
Jurisdiction: Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park
Resources: 965 personnel including 33 crews, 24 engines, 17 water tenders, and 8 helicopters

The KNP Complex, ignited by lightning on the night of September 9, continues to grow in Sequoia National Park.
 
The highest priority for operations is the protection of life and infrastructure of the park, the Sequoia National Forest, and the surrounding communities including Three Rivers. There was about 1,399 acres of growth on the fire yesterday. Smoke conditions are poor today and are expected to limit air operations for most of the day. Much of the region is 20 to 30 percent drier and 5 to 10 degrees warmer and as a result increases the potential for more active fire behavior. The smoke that was produced yesterday is now
impacting air quality in Visalia, Fresno and the Central Valley.
 
The second highest priority for this operation is the protection of the giant Sequoia trees and some areas that may be impacted by the fire include Lost Grove and Muir Grove. Preparation work is beginning in these areas. The California Army National Guard is helping with mop up operations and to make sure that there is no further threat to the lodges and infrastructure in the Wuksachi Village area.
 
The fire behavior and intensity has been reduced as it moved into areas where prescribed fire treatments were previously completed in the Giant Forest area. CAL FIRE has also been working on direct and indirect fire line (with aircraft reinforcement) along Paradise Ridge to keep the fire in check near Ash Mountain.
A community meeting will be held at the Central Sierra Chamber of Commerce in Pinehurst this evening at 7 p.m. The address is 54120 Hwy. 245, Pinehurst, CA.
 
There have been no changes to evacuation warnings or orders at this time, but residents in 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 an evacuation warning or order, as well as other evacuation resources, 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 National Park is closed to the public and large portions of Kings Canyon National Park have now been closed.

Communities further from the parks are also feeling air quality impacts. Track your local air quality at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/SouthernSierra-Sequoia.

Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. Every time a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded
until we can be sure the drone is clear of this area. More info visit Know Before You Fly, http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.
 
Fire Information (MEDIA): (559) 492-9967 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.); (PUBLIC): (559) 492-9988; (EMAIL) 2021.KNP@firenet.gov
InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7838/
Facebook/Twitter: @SequoiaKingsNPS

A media tour is scheduled for September 21, 2021, at 11:00am meeting at the checkpoint where Sierra Dr. and Mineral King road meet in Three Rivers.  We will be going up to the Hospital Rock picnic area looking at fire effects from when the fire burned through a week ago, and potentially see helicopters or crews working to reduce fuels around Ash Mountain headquarters and employee housing. The tour will last 1-2 hours and all participants must have full PPE, meaning a nomex shirt and pants, hard hat, leather boots over your ankle, leather gloves and eye protection.

The Giant Forest where the General Sherman tree lives is still closed to the media because of hazardous road conditions. This will be accessible when conditions are safe to do so, but reporters will not be accessing this portion of the Park tomorrow. 

Sequoia Kings Canyon NPS Facebook Page

COMMUNITY MEETING TONIGHT IN THE THREE RIVERS COMMUNITY

A community meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Three Rivers Memorial Building located at 43490 Sierra Dr.

Please wear masks regardless of vaccination status.
Members of the fire management team will provide updates on the KNP Complex Fire.

The event will be livestreamed on Facebook and a recording of the meeting will be made available on the Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park Facebook Page soon after it concludes.