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.

SOUTHERN AREA INCIDENT MANAGEMENT BLUE TEAM
Mark Morales – Incident Commander
KNP Complex Update - September 20, 2021

Acres: 23,743 acres (based on infrared flight) Percent Containment: 0%
Start Date: September 11, 2021
Cause: Lightning
Jurisdiction: Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park
Resources: 810 personnel including 29 crews, 27 engines, 19 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 two fires that comprised the complex, the Paradise Fire and the Colony Fire, are now considered to be a single fire.

There was about 1,700 acres of growth on the fire yesterday. Most of it occurred in the Crystal Cave area where the fire got into a “bowl,” a topographic feature, which allowed it to move rapidly uphill. Smoke is expected to moderate fireweather conditions this morning with mild and dry conditions. Winds in the afternoon will push some smoke eastward. An uptick in wind and thinning smoke will allow for better ventilation in the late afternoon/evening. This will be the most critical portion of the burn period.

Fire crews are continuing with structure protection planning and mitigations for the Giant Forest and Lodgepole developed areas to minimize any potential fire impacts or structure damage. Spot fires are being actively monitored. There was no growth in the direction of the Three Rivers community.

Air quality is seriously affected in Three Rivers. Particulate matter readings have been in the “hazardous” range for much of the day. Base camp has moved from Three Rivers to Woodlake to give fire personnel a reprieve from poor air quality.

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. The closure includes all lands within the boundaries of Sequoia National Park west of the Pacific Crest Trail; west of the Generals Highway and south of Highway 180 and all lands within the wilderness of Kings Canyon National Park west of
the Pacific Crest Trail and south of the ridgeline which lies north of Ionian Basin.

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

SOUTHERN AREA INCIDENT MANAGEMENT BLUE TEAM    Mark Morales – Incident Commander
KNP Complex Update September 18, 2021  
Acres: 17,857 acres (based on infrared flight) Percent Containment: 0% Start Date: September 10, 2021 Cause: Lightning Jurisdiction: Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park
Resources: 416 personnel including 10 crews, 28 engines, 6 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 two fires that comprised the complex, the Paradise Fire and the Colony Fire, merged yesterday, and going forward will be considered a single fire. 

Yesterday afternoon, smoke dispersed at the northeast end of the fire, and airflow increased, causing activity to pick up significantly. As of this morning, the fire has reached the vicinity of Red Fir maintenance area, with some spotting further north. Despite little to no relative humidity recovery overnight, fire growth overnight was fairly limited. The fire reached a small area of the Giant Forest yesterday, in the area known as the Four Guardsmen, where trees had been thoroughly prepped in recent days. The General Sherman Tree did not see fire yesterday. Hotshot crews are assessing on the ground this morning to ascertain if conditions are stable enough for more crews to reengage in this area.
 
By contrast, the southern end of the fire remained under a smoke inversion all day yesterday, with moderate fire behavior. The fire did not grow significantly in the direction of Three Rivers or park headquarters yesterday. Tulare County Fire and CAL FIRE continue to establish dozer lines and reinforce existing containment features, such as the Shepherd Saddle Road, between the community and the current fire footprint. Structure protection is underway in cabin communities along the Mineral King Road, with more resources assigned today to ramp up these efforts. 
 
Winds are expected to pick up in and around the fire area. A red flag warning is in place starting at 5 p.m. today through Sunday. Crews are preparing for changes and possible significant increases in fire activity. There have been no changes to evacuation warnings or orders at this time. Residents currently under 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 evacuation warning and order, as well as other evacuation resources, at www.tularecounty.ca.gov/emergencies. 
 
Sequoia National Park is closed to the public. Kings Canyon National Park remains open, but air quality impacts are significant. Air quality is seriously affected in Three Rivers. Particulate matter readings have been in the “hazardous” range for much of the day. Communities further from the parks are also feeling air quality impacts. Track your local air quality at www.fire.airnow.gov.

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 (NEW): (559)-640-7824 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.), 2021.KNP@firenet.gov 
InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7838/
Facebook/Twitter: @SequoiaKingsNPS

A media tour into the Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP will not occur today. The team will continue to assess weather conditions and expected fire behavior to determine when a media tour can be conducted safely. Please monitor inciweb for updates on media availability opportunities.

 A community meeting is scheduled for September 17, 2021, at 7 p.m. at the Three Rivers Veterans Memorial Building.

 SOUTHERN AREA INCIDENT MANAGEMENT BLUE TEAM    Mark Morales – Incident CommanderKNP Complex Update September 16, 2021
  Acres: 9,365 acres (based on infrared flight) Percent Containment: 0%
Start Date: September 10, 2021 Cause: Lightning
Jurisdiction: Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park
Resources: 482 personnel including 4 crews, 11 engines, 2 water tenders, and 1 helicopter
 
The KNP Complex, ignited by lightning on the night of September 9, continues to grow in Sequoia National Park. The complex is comprised of the Paradise Fire and the Colony Fire. The Paradise Fire is currently measured at 7,352 acres, and the Colony Fire is currently measured at 2,013 acres, for a combined total for the KNP Complex of 9,365 acres, with 0% containment. 
 
Effective this morning, the Southern Area Blue Type 1 Incident Management Team is managing the KNP Complex under the leadership of Incident Commander Mark Morales. A community meeting is scheduled for September 17, 2021, at 7 p.m. at the Three Rivers Veterans Memorial Building.
 
Crews are preparing the Giant Forest before the fire reaches that area, by removing fuel and applying structure wrap on some of the iconic monarch sequoias that characterize the most famous area of Sequoia National Park. The fire continues to grow in all directions. In recent days, crews continue structure protection around NPS headquarters and housing areas at Ash Mountain. Air operations is providing support to crews on the ground as well as structure protection for cabins in the Mineral King area. Cal-Fire and Tulare County is providing structure protection efforts in the Three Rivers Community outside the park, including creating fire breaks with dozers.
 
At this time, there has been no change to evacuation orders and warnings. An evacuation order is in place for part of the community of Three Rivers. The area of Three Rivers under mandatory evacuation is the Mineral King Road in its entirety, areas along Sierra King Drive, Crest Lane, Hammond Drive, and Oak Grove Drive, and areas along Highway 198 from the intersection with Mineral King Road to the Sequoia National Park entrance station. 
 
The remainder of the community of Three Rivers is under evacuation warning. The evacuation warning is not an order. It means that residents should prepare for the possibility of evacuation, so that they will be ready to mobilize and leave should the evacuation warning escalate to an evacuation order. Explore a map of the areas under evacuation warning and order, as well as other evacuation resources, at www.tularecounty.ca.gov/emergencies. 
 
Sequoia National Park is closed to the public. Kings Canyon National Park remains open, but air quality impacts are likely. Air quality is seriously affected in Three Rivers. Particulate matter readings have been in the “hazardous” range for much of the day. Communities further from the parks are also feeling air quality impacts. Track your local air quality at www.fire.airnow.gov.

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 (NEW): 559-640-7824 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.), 2021.KNP@firenet.gov 
InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7838/
Facebook/Twitter:  SequoiaKingsNPS

 Per Tulare County Sheriff, the mandatory evacuation order has expanded to include the following areas of Three Rivers:

• All of Mineral King Road, from the intersection with Highway 198 to the end of the road
• Areas along Sierra King Drive, Crest Lane, Hammond Drive, and Oak Grove Drive
• Areas along Highway 198 from the intersection with Mineral King Road to the Sequoia National Park entrance station

Another community meeting will take place tonight, September 14, at 5 p.m. at the Three Rivers Memorial Building, located at 43490 Sierra Dr, Three Rivers, CA. As before, the meeting will be live streamed on the parks’ Facebook page, www.facebook.com/SequoiaKingsNPS, and will be available afterwards for viewing there and on Inciweb in the “videos” section.

 The evacuation warning covers all points on both sides of Highway 198, east of the intersection of Highway 198 and North Fork Drive. The evacuation warning does not include points located on North Fork or South Fork Drive. Those in the evacuation warning area should prepare to leave, should the warning escalate to an evacuation order. 

This evening, Sheriff Boudreaux of the Tulare County Sheriff has issued mandatory evacuation orders for the Silver City and Cabin Cove area on Mineral King Road. The evacuation order applies to all of Mineral King Road.
The Exeter Memorial Building is the temporary evacuation point for Silver City and Cabin Cove Residents.A Mandatory Evacuation Order means there is immediate threat to life and/or property. Those who live in these areas must leave now.This closure was erroneously posted before it became official. We apologize for the error.