There is a lot of rock between where it’s at on the N/W part of the fire and three rivers so I would disagree with nothing stopping it.
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That’s correct no need to create fear or panic.
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Thank you everyone.
There are plenty of fire control roads between the fire and 3rivers. Hopefully they will be used to stir the fire away from communities. it is my understanding the fire is know the #1 priority so more resources should be coming in.
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Towards the end of S Fork Rd in 3R is Mtn #319. It runs all the way to Springville if I remember and is well maintained.
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The irrigated pastures off Cahoon Ditch and Mt Rd 319 serve as excellent LZ and point protection zones but the steeper you get into Grouse Canyon you hit dense chamise and mixed chaparral. Hasn’t burned good in quite a long time. The south fork canyon more or less bottlenecks here before opening up. Hope it stays on the south side of Dennison - those roads seem like solid breaks.
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In Three Rivers, South Fork Drive and Cherokee Oaks are under mandatory evacuation orders and everyone else from the town to NPS housing at Ash Mountain are under voluntary evacuation recommendations. The Sheriff and local community Facebook pages are doing a pretty good job of keeping people apprised and quashing rumors and misinformation. Let me know if you’d like some links for your friends to follow.
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Yeah, if it crosses Dennison things are going to get really interesting. No good place to hold it if the winds switch again.
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As stated before there is a lot of rock up and around and past Dennison, there will be more opportunities to slow it down in those areas.
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This is very true. Also, as the elevation drops towards the community of 3R, the fuel type changes drastically from the high country.
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Unfortunately, from what I understand, the chaparral in the lower elevations near town (especially the Middle Fork of the Kaweah) hasn’t burned in over 100 years. We’ve been into a few fires on Dennison Ridge over the years, and the assorted chamise, manzanita and live oaks are well over head height and almost impenetrable in many areas.
That said, I am keeping my fingers crossed that the granite can hold it up, as you stated.
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To the north, and around to the east there is rock, “protecting” the backcountry.
From due north around to the west, no rock other than Dennison mountain itself. If it “crosses Dennison” as mentioned, there is very little beneficial rock in Kaweah River canyon between there and Three Rivers.
Vegetation change for sure. Overall easier vegetation/terrain to cut line and retardant is more effective. But still not a walk in the park if winds are not favorable down the river canyon.
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Does anyone know if there are boots on the ground in upper South Fork (and Mtn Control Rd 319 possibly) in Three Rivers yet?
Despite the types of fuel and fuel loading in the lower elevation,there is the fact that there more dozer friendly country in there and a lot more room prep and defend. The 12 mile run had a lot to do with down canyon winds and the poor over night recoveries did not help with that. The past couple nights have been cooler and if you where able to look at the blue ridge cam you would have noticed the fire activity was not as bad as the night before especially after midnight. I understand the concern and let’s just take it day by day and see what the fire does and not get ahead of ourselves.
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It’s sounding like that mandatory evacuation order for South Fork may have been less about there being an “imminent threat” to the values (lives/homes/ranches/animals) in the upper South Fork community of Three Rivers that’s closest to the fire - which people may not realize stretches all the way to the park up a steep dry canyon and also up other side roads (like Mtn Control Rd 319/Grouse Valley Rd) - and that the evac order may have been more about the road itself. South Fork Drive is a narrow ingress/egress up a steep canyon, and they probably want to keep South Fork Drive open for the fire teams without traffic/accidents/blockages. The Blue Ridge cam has not exactly been comforting in the last few nights, or last night. Heard there was a 2 man team last night to watch Dennison so far, so that’s good. There was another fire in upper South Fork recently, but they didn’t have to evacuate the community to fight it. So this really is quite different.
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South Fork is definitely about keeping the road open for fire resources, which are already scouting the area and sending in heavy equipment. (I live on this road.)
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We are not here to debate decisions. We all strive to be professional, and pass along pertinent information. Residents need to be able to leave in advance in a calm manor, and fire personnel/ first responders need access to all roads, including fire access roads without the worry of being met head on by an influx of panicked residents trying to make their way on the 11th hour. Advanced evacs makes it safer for everyone.
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Hoping the smoke clears up enough for aerial drop to protect Blue Ridge
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