@Firedude52 That was the focus of the first team from the start. Looks like it was a good choice. That is where most of the scant resources have been deployed from the beginning.
4 Likes
Iâm hearing additional personnel and resources are being mobilized. How many or what resources remains unclear though. Lets hope for a BIG air show first thing tomorrow. Tomorrow afternoon the extreme heat âswitchâ will be flipped on.
3 Likes
I thought Iâd lost some of my favorite fishing spots in the high severity burns of the Walker fire, but Iâve been pleasantly suprised. Alot of the big pools in the slower flats did fill in, but the higher gradient streams were kept clean by the increased flows. Trout are disturbance adapted, they can find shelter to weather the relatively brief periods of high turbidity. Plus, the nutrient load increases, and thought that may not be benificial farther downstream, the normally nutrient poor freestone headwaters get a boost. And increases in the groundwater elevation, even with this dry year, kept flows higher and the water cooler.
4 Likes
From a resident of Sequoia Crest via FB:
As I returned to Sequoia Crest, I decided to make a quick trip to the North Rd. I found 3 large dozer trailers located near the entrance gate and then there was a strike team parked along the road. They confirmed that they just ran a firing out operation along the entire Clicks Creek and Lewis Rd to protect the pack station and the North Rd area, starting about 4 pm until about 8 pm. This is great news that they have determined the weather to be favorable for firing out and creating a strong fireline at the eastern edge of the North Rd. complex. This should provide good defense from the fire that has leaked past the Lion Fire.
5 Likes
AA requesting 2 tankers to Lookout IP and a lead plane.
start building retardant line from Castle peak to the pack station.
I could not find Castle peak on the Ops map but this maybe div.A
Acquired 2 tankers 15 and 160 from Creek fire.
2 Likes
https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/index.php
Thatâs the link to the GEOS East. Bottom Left of screen gives you areas to look at and click away.
Brian
1 Like
Per SQFâŚ
** Sequoia Complex: The complex includes the Castle and Shotgun fires.
Castle Fire: Containment moved from 1% to 7% as firefighters mopped up along the southwest perimeter of the fire in the vicinity of Lloyd Flat. Yesterday afternoon, a large smoke column rose from the western side of the fire as it aggressively pushed to the west along Clicks Creek. Crews were able to burn off control lines and kept the fire from crossing those lines. Aircraft applied retardant in that area keeping the fire in check while supporting ground crews. Today, additional resources will be moved to the western side of the fire to assist in attacking the fire. The western edge of the fire is approximately 4-5 miles east of Sequoia Crest.
-
Crews continue to mop-up along the southwestern perimeter of the fire. (this is good for Ponderosa). Crews are constructing direct fireline and using old firelines on the northeast side of the fire in the Inyo National Forest to implement point protection to protect critical values at risk. Firefighters are building direct fireline where possible and using heavy equipment and chippers to build contingency lines on the southeastern side of the fire where the fire continues to move towards Little Horse and Osa Meadows. Structure assessment and protection continues for communities impacted by the fire, including Soda Flat, Jordan Hot Springs, and Casa Vieja Meadow, Cedar Slope, Ponderosa, Camp Nelson and Monache Meadows.
-
Acreage remains the same today, due to no infrared flight last night. The Castle Fire is mapped at 55,523 acres, including 11,022 acres within the Inyo National Forest boundary, and the remainder on the Sequoia National Forest.
-
Shotgun Fire: Estimated at 438 acres, the fire is slowly burning in a rocky drainage and is monitored by aircraft.
-
Weather: Sundayâs temperatures will be in the upper 80s at the higher elevations to 105 on the valley floor. Minimum relative humidity will be in the teens or single digits. Sundayâs winds will be from the south or southeast in the morning, from the west or southwest around noon and from the northwest in late afternoon.
Smoke: Air quality will be impaired throughout the Outlook area today. Unhealthy or worse levels are present this morning in Owens Valley, the Kern River drainage, and Sequoia National Park. Shifting winds will also bring smoke from the SQF Complex and the Creek Fire to the San Joaquin Valley and the Sierra foothills.
Evacuations and Closures:
⢠Tulare County Sheriff issued an Evacuation Order on 9/4/20 for Alpine Village, Sequoia Crest and Redwood Drive. The Evacuation Order (8/28/20) is still in effect for: Ponderosa, Cedar Slope, Pyles Camp, and points between.
⢠The Evacuation Warning is still in place for: Camp Nelson, Rodgers Camp, Coy Flat, Mountain Aire and Pier Point.
⢠The Red Cross temporary evacuation center is located at Porterville College Stadium Gate 2.
⢠Tulare County residents are encouraged to sign up for emergency notifications at alerttc.com
⢠Roads are closed at Johnsondale Bridge and Sherman Pass, Hwy 190, and the County Transfer Station, as well as M107 and Mountain Road 50.
⢠Campgrounds closed: Belknap, Coy Flat, Dome Rock, Lower Peppermint, Upper Peppermint, & Quaking Aspen
⢠Sequoia National Forest issued Order No. 0513-20-31 SQF Complex Fire Area Road and Trails Closure on 8/26/2020.
⢠Inyo National Forest issued Order No. 05-04-21-20-17 Inyo National Forest Castle Fire Trail, Road, and Area Closure on 9/3/20 which expands the closure area of the Golden Trout Wilderness and Monache Meadows. The original closure areas continue as specified in Order No. 05-04-51-20-16. These closures are for firefighter and public safety.
⢠A Temporary Flight Restriction has been issued for the airspace around the fire complex. Drones are also prohibited.
Priorities include: Ponderosa, Cedar Slope, Alpine Village, Sequoia Crest, Redwood Drive, facilities within Trout Meadow, structures along the Lloyd Meadows Road, Pyles Boys Camp, grazing cattle west of North Road, Freeman Creek Grove and other Sequoia groves, the President George H.W. Bush Tree, Camp Whitsett, archeological values, Peppermint Fire Station, Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog and Little Kern Golden Trout Critical Habitats, Pacific Fisher habitats.
4 Likes
Certainly not good⌠Red Flag Warning has been issued from now until 11 p.m. tomorrow nightâŚ
https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=hnx&wwa=red%20flag%20warning
3 Likes
Watching the briefing this morning, they are planning an extensive burn op on the west side of the fire, the south end on the east side of the river has black line on the ops map. More burning planned on the southeast corner today. Biggest problem is most of IHCS will time out this week.
6 Likes
New interactive NIFC map that allows distance calcs. Spike camps are also listed.
https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9e80e202cae24dfebfa206541c49ed07
Closest structures, other than back country pack stations is Cedar Slope at 2.84 miles.
68,093 acres, 12% contained.
7 Likes
Was suppose to be an extensive firing op last night on the west side. Have you heard anything in regards to that?
@Firedude52 Morning briefing by Northern Rockies Team stated successful firing op that went till 2300 last night in Div Bravo, western flank. No slop over or spotting outside the line. Good L shaped line up towards Clicks Creek from south to northwest and back east again off a spur road The other area of concern on the SW corner, near Lloyds/Pyles was quiet and that line is holding, despite how tricky the terrain is. Good news in that area for now. Weather is helping their process.
6 Likes
Any updates? Sounds like there might be some stuff going on with this one right now.
It is running west or northwest through the Jacobsen fire burn North of jordan peak and tankers are working a section north of ponderosa.
3 Likes
TCFD just punched out an Engine ST to Camp Nelson immediate need. My son is a FC on one of the engines and just advised me they are on the way⌠(TCFD engines E-8, E-1, E-25, E-4, E-21 with STL)
5 Likes
Heard the ST get punched out just didnât know what went south on the fire
Tanker 914 off berdo over the fire.
3 Likes
Based on the Team morning briefing the breaching of the fire line at DP 6 would be a trigger for Mtn Home/Balch evacs. So, that looks to be the unfortunate case.
EDIT: That is in Bravo, the finger in the linked map, headed towards Jacobsen Meadow and Burro Creek.
3 Likes