CA-YNP #MeadowFire 4,906 Acres Burned 23% Containment (MAP)

Thursday, September 11, 2014

CA-YNP #MeadowFire 4,906 Acres Burned 23% Containment (MAP)

CA-YNP Meadow Fire CA-YNP-00101, Mariposa County

Little Yosemite Valley between Half Dome and Mount Starr King

MEADOW FIRE MAP

Yosemite National Park

P.O. Box 577

Yosemite, CA 95389

MEADOW FIRE INFORMATION

Update #3

Release for Tuesday, September 11, 2014/Time: 8:00 AM

Incident Statics

Acres Burned: 4,906 Structures Threatened: 0

Containment: 23% Structures Damaged: 0

Fire Start Date: July 19, 2014 Injuries: 0

Fire Discovered: 8/15/14 Total Personnel: 556

Fire Cause: Lightning Cost to date: $1.8 million

Est. Containment: 9/21/14

Summary

The Fire is located within the designated wilderness of the Yosemite National Park in Mariposa County and is currently within Little Yosemite Valley between Half Dome and Mount Starr King on both sides of the Merced River.
The fire spread significantly due to a wind event which occurred on September 7, 2014.
Approximately 100 hikers and backpackers were evacuated from the fire area and an additional 85 hikers and climbers were evacuated by helicopter from the Summit of Half Dome on September 7 due to the rapid spread of the fire. Helicopters from the California Highway Patrol, U.S. Forest Service, Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park and Cal Fire were utilized to affect the evacuations.
Recreation and businesses remain open in the Yosemite National Park except trail areas listed below.

Fire Update

Firefighter and public safety remains the highest priority. Fire crews are being sensitive to environmental and cultural resources in and around the fire area.
Last night’s infrared flight showed intense heat and hot areas around the north and southeast areas of the fire. Overall, infrared indicates there are still pockets of intense heat scattered through the fire. Due todays increased temperatures and low relative humidity, spots outside the current fires perimeter are expected to flare.

(More)

Due to the extremely steep, rugged and inaccessible terrain, some fire crews are being flown into the area by helicopter. Air resources, including nine helicopters are being utilized along the fire-line to slow the forward progress of the fire and to cool down hot spots. Due to the potential fire growth and extensive amount of work which remains, a high commitment of resources will be required.

Fire crews are using Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics (M.I.S.T). Fire crews are confining and containing the naturally caused fire by utilizing natural barriers such as, rock to rock, rock to domes, decomposed granite (DG) to sparse fuels. Crews are working hard to maintain natural habitat in the wilderness.

The fire continues to burn through popular hiking areas in Yosemite National Park and trail closures still remain in effect.

Smoke from the Meadows Fire will continue to impact visitors, campers and employees overnight and in the early morning hours in Yosemite Valley.

Fires of this magnitude can produce heavy smoke that blows down into Yosemite Valley. Be prepared for smoke in the unhealthy AQI range normally worse in the mornings with some clearing in the afternoon hours.

Information for schools can be found on this site and links to current air quality updates for this incident will be posted on the California Smoke Information blog.

Trail Closures:

By order of the Superintendent of Yosemite National Park and under authority of Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 1.5(a) and Section (a)(1):

Echo Creek Drainage to Little Yosemite Valley

Sunrise Creek Drainage to Little Yosemite Valley

Merced River Corridor to Merced Lake Ranger Station

Nevada Falls east through Little Yosemite Valley along the Merced River

Sunrise Trail to Clouds Rest from Tenaya Lake

Cooperating agencies include

U.S. Forest Service, National Weather Service and California Conservation Corp.

For More Information:

Fire information: gary_wuchner@nps.gov,
Fire Information call center: (209) 372-0327; 372-0328; and, 372-0329.

For Yosemite air quality data and webcams: www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/aqmonitoring.htm
For smoke updates: www.californiasmokeinfo.blogspot.com
Yosemite National Park Web page: http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/current _fire.htm

---------------------------------------------

CFN - California Fire News 2013

No comments:

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

Thursday, September 11, 2014