CA-YNP- October Lightning Complex

Sunday, November 4, 2007

CA-YNP- October Lightning Complex

October Lightning Complex – Update # 4

Yosemite National Park

November 4, 2007

Yosemite National Park (Cal Fire News) - As of today, 2 additional fires, for a total of 13, have resulted from the thunderstorms of October 29.
Four of these fires are in Yosemite wilderness area and are to be managed as Wildland Fire Use (WFU), for resource benefits rather than suppressed. Since the early 1970’s, Yosemite National Park has allowed natural fire to function as a landscape process in more remote areas. Ecological benefits of WFU limits the size and severity of subsequent fires. Fire is a natural process in the Sierra Nevada and is necessary to maintain ecosystem diversity. In addition this “best management practice” is cost effective.

The current Wildland Fire Use incidents are in order of priority (* indicates the found/start date):

Devil (*11/3) –

Location: Lat/long: 37 44.67 x 119 42.24
This fire is in Mariposa Co. It is east of the Tamarack Trail, between the Tamarack Flat
Campground and Tamarack Trail footbridge crossing at Cascade Creek. The elevation is approximately 7000’, and is burning in snags, down logs and brush (white thorn). Smoke is visible from many locations throughout the Park.
Outlook: It is poised for moderate to high growth potential, as there have been historic fires surrounding the area, and it is burning on a southwest/southeast aspect.
Current Size: The fire is approximately 5 acres.

Click on map for large version

Cotton (*11/3) –

Location: Lat/Long: 37 58.871 x 119 45.946.
This fire is in Tuolumne Co.
It is approximately 3.5 miles east of the Hetch Hetchy Ranger Station, near Cottonwood Meadow.
It was found by Park Helicopter on patrol looking for additional lightning fires. It is burning in snags and down logs and brush. It is inside the Ackerson Fire of ’96.
Outlook: It is on an s/w slope, and has low to moderate growth potential. Its elevation is approximately 6500’.

Jack (*10/31) – This is being managed as Fire Use.
Location: Lat/Long: 37 34.37 x 119 40.4
It is located on the top Turner Ridge, 6500’ El., in Mariposa Co.
Size: Currently is .25ac.
Outlook: It low to moderate potential for growth.

Johnson (*10/31) – This is being managed as Fire Use.
Location: Lat/Long: 37 34.113 x 119 31.614.
It is on an 80% slope, in timber @ 8475’ El. It is in
Madera Co, 4 miles n/e of Wawona, near Crescent Lake, in snow and rock.
Outlook: It has low potential for growth.

The remaining 10 fires have been contained, controlled and mopped–up and are in patrol status. They will be monitored periodically until measurable precipitation occurs.
These fires include: Empire, Wawona Dome, Old
Steamboat, Turner, Ned, Taft, Point, Badger, and Barn.
Sub-Dome, Rattlesnake.

Alder: These reported fires were never found.
Additional Information: The park website, www.nps.gov/yose/fire has information about fire activity and smoke effects in Yosemite.

Fire Education Office
P.O. Box 577
Yosemite, CA 95389
209/372-0480 phone or
209/372-0491 phone

National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior

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How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States. CDF - CAL FIRE Firefighters answer the call more than 300,000 times a year. CAL FIRE Firefighters make up the fire department for 30 of our 58 counties in California and more than 100 local communities. We serve as the incident command during many of California’s most serious disasters. CAL FIRE Firefighters respond to many various types and forms of calls ranging from structural fires, to auto accidents, to earthquakes, to floods, to the spilling of hazardous materials, to every conceivable disaster; CAL FIRE answer's the calls. CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States . CAL FIRE firefighters protect 33 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA). We have over 4,000 members within CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE is associated with the California Professional Firefighters (CPF) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).

CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Sunday, November 4, 2007