Yosemite NP - Current Wildland Fire activity

Yosemite National Park Current Fire Activity - Suppression and Prescribed

current fire activity includes:

Big Meadow Fire FAQs Yosemite Fire Update #2 July 20 Fire Management Update:  Two lightning caused fires were discovered July 19 on the north rim of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River. Smoke was reported visible from the east near the Waterwheel Fall area. Yosemite received lightning the previous week along the Sierra crest. It is not unusual to find these fires a few days after thunderstorms. These remote fires are approximately at the 8000-foot elevation and within two miles of each other. They are in designated wilderness, and located in Tuolumne County. Firefighters were flown into the fire area July 20 to monitor the fires. They will gather data to assess the fire spread potential and observe fire behavior. Additionally, they will collect adjacent fuels and other vegetation information, determine fuel moistures, locate natural fire barriers, and place trail warning signs as needed. Based on the data collection the fires will be considered to be managed for multiple objectives. There are three historical fires in this area: 1948, 1985 and last year’s 2009 Wildcat fire. Tuolumne Fire: It is 1/10 of an acre and west of the Wildcat 2 fire and Rodgers Creek. It has a slight to moderate potential to spread. Light smoke was visible. It is burning in short needle conifer vegetation and brush, on a south aspect. Wildcat 2 Fire: It is 2.8 acres and has moderate potential to spread with light smoke visible. It is on the south side of Register Creek and north of last summer’s Wildcat fire. It is also burning in short needle conifer and brush, on a south aspect. Seventy-five percent of the perimeter is active and mostly burning the brush. Other Current Incidents: Footbridge Fire (Suppression): This .10 acre fire was discovered July 20 and is in Mariposa County. It is burning in heavy fuels, many of which are snags, (standing dead trees.) Light smoke was visible from Glacier point, and was dispersing to the northwest. The fire is near the Snow Creek footbridge and is northwest of Basket Dome. It is within the suppression zone, and is being put out by Helicopter 551 and helitack hand-crews. The cause is unknown. Past 2010 Incidents: The 200-acre Crane Flat Prescribed Fire (also called PW-05 Segment D) began June 29 and was completed on July 1 as 70 firefighters brought the drip torches down the fire lines to Highway 120. Firefighters used ground features and natural barriers, such as rock outcroppings, trails, and past fires to establish the project perimeter line, there-by minimizing more impacts to the land by scrapping, cutting and digging additional paths through the area. This operation is often called Minimum Impact Management Tactics (MIMT). The goal of this prescribed burn was to reduce fire fuels near the park boundary, the Rockefeller Grove of sugar pine trees, and structures located in the Crane Flat area. Contacts: Yosemite's Fire Information and Education Office at 209/372-0480 or 375-9574 and the Prescribed Fire and Fuels Office at 209/375-9576.