Roads closed due to fire on SR-77: Northbound from W 3rd St (135) to E Bar F Bar Ranch Rd (170) . Lane Closed. SR-77 Southbound from Pipeline Rd (170) to E Cobo Ln (135) . Lane Closed.

SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. June 1, 2021 – After a one-year hiatus, fire managers with Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have scheduled the annual Ash Mountain Prescribed Burn in the foothills of Sequoia National Park, near the parks’ headquarters and entrance station along the main road, Generals Highway. Ignitions are planned to begin on June 6, 2021 and continue through June 9, 2021.

Prescribed burning in the parks’ foothills ecosystem reduces concentrations of fine fuels such as exotic grasses that aid in the rapid spread of wildfire; a critical factor that later in the year could limit access for first responders and hamper evacuations.  

“The benefits of this prescribed burn are that our parks’ historic buildings and critical infrastructure will be better protected in the event of an unwanted wildfire,” said John Ziegler, parks’ fire management officer. “Please drive with caution when you see us as we complete this critical work.” 

The 2021 Ash Mountain Prescribed Burn consists of 12 segments, for a total of approximately 40 acres between the Sequoia National Park entrance station and the Foothills Visitor Center, one mile inside the park. Nearly seven of those acres in the foothills are being treated manually through the grazing of the parks’ stock animals.

Information about this prescribed burn will be post to the parks’ website, social media pages, and Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7505

Visitors may see smoke, active fire, and firefighters during the burn, and are asked to drive slowly and follow all firefighter instructions. Smoke impacts are expected to be minimal and short-lived, as the vegetation in the unit is chiefly fine fuels that will be consumed quickly. Visitors can learn more about air quality and smoke by visiting www.airnow.gov or www.valleyair.org. 

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About Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks’ Fire Management Program

For over fifty years, our mission has been to use the full range of options and strategies available to manage fire in the parks. This includes protecting park resources, employees, and the public from unwanted fire; building and maintaining fire resilient ecosystems; reducing the threat to local communities from wildfires emanating from the parks or adjacent lands; and recruiting, training, and retaining a professional fire management workforce.

This will be the last update on the Wolf Draw Fire unless conditions change significantly.

Start date:  May 29, 2021

Location:  Approximately 30 miles north of Cuba and 11 miles northwest of Regina on the Cuba Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF), Rio Arriba County

Cause:  Human. The Wolf Draw Fire was caused by an illegal abandoned campfire that escaped the fire ring over the Memorial Day weekend. The west side of the SFNF is currently under Stage 1 fire restrictions, which prohibit dispersed campfires.

Size:  712 acres                                          

Percent Contained:  85%. Fire managers expect to reach 100% containment within a week.

Resources:  2 hand crews and 1 Type 3 helicopter

Fuels:  Ponderosa pine and mixed conifer

Operations:  Operations today are following a familiar pattern as crews continue with mop-up and suppression repair. Firefighters are also monitoring fire behavior, which is still creeping and smoldering through vegetation on the ground.

Weather: Much of the state is under a fire weather watch with increasing winds, single-digit humidities and above-normal temperatures expected Thursday. Friday will be dry and hot. Moisture from Colorado is forecast to drop south into New Mexico with the potential for welcome precipitation.

Objectives: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Other objectives  on the Wolf Draw Fire include limiting fire impacts on cultural resources, oil and gas infrastructure, private property, canyon ecosystems and Mexican spotted owl habitat.

Smoke:  The Wolf Draw Fire is having minimal smoke impacts on surrounding areas. The smoke that is spreading across New Mexico is coming primarily from wildfires in Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website at https://nmtracking.org/fire.

Fire updates will be posted on the SFNF website, New Mexico Fire Information website, Inciweb and on the SFNF Facebook and Twitter.

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The only significant change in today’s update is an increase in the containment percentage which is now 80%.

The smoke that is spreading across Northern New Mexico is coming primarily from wildfires in Arizona.

Start date:  May 29, 2021

Location:  Approximately 30 miles north of Cuba and 11 miles northwest of Regina on the Cuba Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF), Rio Arriba County

Cause:  Human. The Wolf Draw Fire was caused by an illegal abandoned campfire that escaped the fire ring over the Memorial Day weekend. The west side of the SFNF is currently under Stage 1 fire restrictions, which prohibit dispersed campfires.

Size:  712 acres                                          

Percent Contained:  80%

Resources:  2 hand crews and 1 Type 3 helicopter

Fuels:  Ponderosa pine and mixed conifer

Operations:  Operations today are similar to yesterday’s activities with crews continuing with mop-up and suppression repair. Firefighters are also monitoring fire behavior, which is still creeping and smoldering through vegetation on the ground.

Weather: Today’s weather is a continuation of the warming, drying trend with above-normal temperatures and decreasing humidity recovery. Dry, hot and unstable conditions are expected through the rest of the week with the possibility of moisture returning next weekend.

Objectives: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Other objectives  on the Wolf Draw Fire include limiting fire impacts on cultural resources, oil and gas infrastructure, private property, canyon ecosystems and Mexican spotted owl habitat.

Smoke:  The Wolf Draw Fire is having minimal smoke impacts on surrounding areas. The smoke that is spreading across New Mexico is coming primarily from wildfires in Arizona. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website at https://nmtracking.org/fire.

Fire updates will be posted on the SFNF website, New Mexico Fire Information website, Inciweb and on the SFNF Facebook and Twitter.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Start date:  May 29, 2021

Location:  Approximately 30 miles north of Cuba and 11 miles northwest of Regina on the Cuba Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF), Rio Arriba County

Cause:  Human. The Wolf Draw Fire was caused by an illegal abandoned campfire that escaped the fire ring over the Memorial Day weekend. The west side of the SFNF is currently under Stage 1 fire restrictions, which prohibit dispersed campfires.

Size:  712 acres                                   

Percent Contained:  75%

Resources:  2 hand crews and 1 Type 3 helicopter

Fuels:  Ponderosa pine and mixed conifer

Operations:  The Northern New Mexico Type 3 Incident Management Team turned command of the Wolf Draw Fire over to a local Type 4 team at 6 a.m. this morning. Today, crews continued implementing both mop-up and suppression repair. Firefighters are also monitoring fire behavior, which is for the most part creeping and smoldering through vegetation on the ground.

Weather: A warming, drying trend with above-normal temperatures and decreasing humidity recovery is forecast for the area. Dry, hot and unstable conditions are expected through the week with the possibility of moisture returning next weekend.

Objectives: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Other objectives  on the Wolf Draw Fire include limiting fire impacts on cultural resources, oil and gas infrastructure, private property, canyon ecosystems and Mexican spotted owl habitat.

Smoke:  Minimal smoke impacts are expected from the Wolf Draw Fire due to its remote location. Depending on fire behavior, smoke may be visible in the Dulce area. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website at https://nmtracking.org/fire.

Fire updates will be posted on the SFNF website, New Mexico Fire Information website, Inciweb and on the SFNF Facebook and Twitter.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Start date:  May 29, 2021

Location:  Approximately 30 miles north of Cuba and 11 miles northwest of Regina on the Cuba Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF), Rio Arriba County

Cause:  Human. The Wolf Draw Fire was caused by an illegal abandoned campfire that escaped the fire ring over the Memorial Day weekend. The west side of the SFNF is currently under Stage 1 fire restrictions, which prohibit dispersed campfires.

Size:  712 acres                                   

Percent Contained:  75%

Resources:  1 Type 3 engine, 1 Type 6 engine, 2 hand crews, 1 Rapid Extraction Module (REM) Team, 1 air attack platform and 1 Type 3 helicopter

Fuels:  Ponderosa pine and mixed conifer

Operations:  Another day of minimal fire activity gave crews the opportunity to continue mop-up operations along the control lines. The Type 3 Incident Management Team also started suppression repair, removing unneeded equipment and rehabbing the area from ground disturbances created while fighting the fire. The Type 3 team will turn command of the Wolf Draw Fire over to a local Type 4 team at 6 a.m. Monday.

Weather: The same pattern of scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue into Sunday night with a 40% chance of precipitation and north winds from 10 to 15 mph. Drier air moving into the area will bring an end to the sporadic rainfall with 0% chance of precipitation and lower relative humidities on Monday.

Objectives: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Other objectives  on the Wolf Draw Fire include limiting fire impacts on cultural resources, oil and gas infrastructure, private property, canyon ecosystems and Mexican spotted owl habitat.

Smoke:  Minimal smoke impacts are expected from the Wolf Draw Fire due to its remote location. Depending on fire behavior, smoke may be visible in the Dulce area. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website at https://nmtracking.org/fire.

Fire updates will be posted on the SFNF website, New Mexico Fire Information website, Inciweb and on the SFNF Facebook and Twitter.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Start date:  May 29, 2021

Location:  Approximately 30 miles north of Cuba and 11 miles northwest of Regina on the Cuba Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF), Rio Arriba County

Cause:  Human. The Wolf Draw Fire was caused by an illegal abandoned campfire that escaped the fire ring over the Memorial Day weekend. The west side of the SFNF is currently under Stage 1 fire restrictions, which prohibit dispersed campfires.

Size:  712 acres                                   

Percent Contained:  70%

Resources:  1 type 4 engine, 1 type 6 engine, 4 hand crews, 1 ambulance, 1 Rapid Extraction Module (REM) Team, 1 air attack platform and 2 Type 3 helicopters.

Fuels:  Ponderosa pine and mixed conifer

Operations:  Crews completed direct control line around the perimeter of the Wolf Draw Fire and will continue mop-up operations through Sunday. Fire behavior is minimal with some smoldering and creeping. The Type 3 Incident Management Team is planning to return command of the Wolf Draw Fire to a local Type 4 team at 6 a.m. Monday.

Weather: The same pattern of scattered showers and thunderstorms continued today, but drier air filtering in from the west will reduce the chance of precipitation on Sunday and Monday. A 30% chance of precipitation tonight will be accompanied by winds out of the north at 10 to 15 mph.

Objectives: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Other objectives  on the Wolf Draw Fire include limiting fire impacts on cultural resources, oil and gas infrastructure, private property, canyon ecosystems and Mexican spotted owl habitat.

Smoke:  Minimal smoke impacts are expected from the Wolf Draw Fire due to its remote location. Depending on fire behavior, smoke may be visible in the Dulce area. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website at https://nmtracking.org/fire.

Fire updates will be posted on the SFNF website, New Mexico Fire Information website, Inciweb and on the SFNF Facebook and Twitter.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.