CA-YNP Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Fire Update 12

Thursday, August 13, 2015

CA-YNP Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Fire Update 12

Yosemite Fire Update #12, August 13, 2015

Air Quality in the park is being affected by numerous fires throughout California. For more information refer to the web sites listed below. Currently no roads are closed within the park.

All visitors are urged to be diligent in any use of fire, including smoking. And be sure all fires are out!
As with all fires, staff and visitor safety is of paramount importance. Each fire, regardless of size, is assessed for the appropriate course of action.

The photo shows Wawona Engine 32 crew members installing a Portable Remote Automatic Weather Station (P-RAWS), on a granite ridge, northwest of the lightning caused Indian Canyon Fire. The station measures relative humidity, temperature, precipitation and other critical weather data for firefighters. In the background is light smoke, Half Dome and other peaks within Yosemite.
Credit: Yosemite Fire and Aviation

Active Wildland Fires:
Upper (37 45.534 x 119 35.983 – Mariposa Co., August 10). This fire was discovered by hikers at approximately 3:30PM, August 10. It is now out and in patrol status. Quick action by the Yosemite Helitack, with supporting water bucket drops, and fire crews held the fire to 3.85 acres. The fire was determined to be human caused and is under investigation. Smoke from the fire may continue to affect air quality in the morning hours. All park trail closures associated with the Upper Falls fire were lifted at 6:00 PM 8/13.

Badger (37 40.697 x 119 39.316 – Mariposa Co., August 10). This fire was discovered by Helicopter 551 in the area of Summit Meadows near Glacier Point Road. Wawona Engine 32 responded and suppressed the 0.01acre fire. It is in patrol status.

Lightning caused fires being monitored and managed for multiple objectives:
Cathedral (37 51.078 x 119 25.120 – Tuolumne Co., 9400’El., 8/2). This is near the John Muir Trail to Cathedral Lakes. The perimeter is actively smoldering and creeping through lodgepole pine needles and logs and has good potential to grow until it hits natural barriers. The fire is 6.0 acres in size and is being monitored.

Middle (37 51.538 x 119 41.194 - Tuolumne Co., 8043’El., 7/27). It is west of White Wolf and south of the Middle Tuolumne River. It is at 2.5 acres, and smoke may be visible from Tioga Road. It continues to smolder and creep through down logs, pine needles and other vegetation. It is in a red fir and lodgepole pine forest.

Dark (37 50.575 x 119 37.153 – Mariposa Co.,8200’ el., 7/ 9). This fire is along the Yosemite Creek Campground Road and smoke is periodically visible from both the campground and Tioga roads. Fire crews secured the edges of the fire by burning along the most active perimeter. That operation is complete. It is at 41.5 acres, and continues to creep and smolder through red fir duff and needles within the interior of the fire. The Lukens trail is now re-opened. Fire crews will be parked and working Yosemite Creek Campground Road. For firefighter and visitor safety, drivers are urged to use caution while driving in the area of parked fire equipment.

White Cascade (37 54.926 x 119 23.780 - Tuolumne Co, at 9000’ el., 7/3). This remote fire is east of Glen Aulin High Sierra camp, east of Conness Creek, and west of Tuolumne Meadows, and is at 0.68 acres. This high elevation fire, in a lodge pole pine forest, has a low spread potential. The fire is not near any trails. Smoke may be visible in Tuolumne Meadows.

Quartzite (37 43.871 x 119 25.200 - Mariposa Co., 8387’ el., 7/27). It is approximately 0.5 miles south of Merced Lake, mid-slope and on a north aspect. It is smoldering in mountain hemlock, western white pine and lodgepole pine. This fire is contained to natural barriers.

Stubblefield (38 02.743 x 119 36.625 – Tuolumne Co., 7659’ el., 8/3). This fire is in Stubblefield Canyon and west of the Pacific Crest Trail and at the northeast section of the Park; it is very remote. It is most likely a lightning strike holdover. Currently, it is 2-3 acres in size, in a red fir and Jeffrey Pine forested area, with other sparse vegetation.

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For More Information
Fire information: gary_wuchner@nps.gov, (209) 372-0480
Yosemite Web: http://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/fireinfo.htm.
Air Quality Sites: http://www.californiasmokeinfo.blogspot.com/
http://viewer.smoke.airfire.org/run/standard/CANSAC-2km/2015062200/ and http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.main and www.mariposacounty.org/aqi
Yosemite Wildland Fire Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Yosemite-Fire-and-Aviation/124632964255395
Twitter: @yosemitefire

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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.

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CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Thursday, August 13, 2015