Feds burning Yosemite, uncontrollably!!

[Fotoware58]

The past few weeks, Feds have burned and killed hundreds of old growth trees and thousands of acres of "pristine wilderness" during the hottest part of the summer. They talk about letting fires burn and then turn around and purposely burn even MORE acres (4 miles of Highway 41 was torched off and let run up steep slopes, uncontrolled) trying to contain the fires.

Their fumbling around has now resulted in a new escaped prescribed fire now burning in Crane Flat, incinerating huge old firs and pines. Yesterday, it was in the 90's in Yosemite and their controlled burn escaped and is now up over 2000 acres. I think it is time for the Park Service to back off and re-evaluate their strategy to burn during the middle of the summer.

Even in National Parks, sometimes Let-Burn fires are a very bad thing.

[Buzz Clik]

1. It will grow back.

[Fotoware58]

8. Yep...

the brush will certainly grow back! The pines, not so certain. Just curious, do DUers advocate planting trees in a National Park?? Do we intervene in a park where nature is supposed to rule? It is an interesting question whether we intervene to try and do a good thing or do we let nature take maybe a century to return big pines to the landscape. That area has the highest fire-return frequency around, with 13 recorded fires happening in the last 100 years. Don't get me wrong, here. I know this is a National Park and it is my favorite place in the entire world. I am entirely fine with letting nature take its course there but, man continues to intervene by setting fires at the wrong time of the year. It's controversial and not an easy issue to get a handle on.

Thoughts??

[pinto]

9. Some pines need fire to explode the pine cones and distribute seed.

fwiw, I think they planned a "small" (90 acre) controlled burn for Wednesday, which, iirc was pretty good weather-wise, and it got out of hand and the weather turned to more fire friendly.

I hope they get it contained ASAP.

[Fotoware58]

11. Actually...

NONE of THOSE kinds of pine live in that area at all!! You are thinking of knobcone and lodgepole pines. I chalk up the escape to poor fire planning, site prep (probably none!) and the desire to have "good burning conditions". Truthfully, they usually do a better job of that at the higher elevations, where fuel moistures and relative humidities are better for keeping it contained. In the old A-Rock burn, they also probably didn't factor in the high-density fuels hidden in the brush from the A-Rock fire. I learned that in doing controlled burns, that you must first establish a "black line" at the top of the planned area and then back your way down the slope to keep control. However, chances are the brush was so thick, they didn't want to be inside the interior of the burn unit.

I want to know why they didn't do this in the fall, after the first several measureable rains. Fire folks LOVE fire and don't often have the scientific knowledge required for a successful and controlled burn. Conditions are again hot and last night's cloud cover held the heat in at the higher elevations. This afternoon will tell the story. If it hits the big timber with a head of steam, it will wipe out all of Crane Flat, including the gas station and the Yosemite Institute, as well as threatening the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias.

I guess those who "unrecommended" this thread want the fire to go on its merry way, spreading all those "wildfire benefits" everywhere it can.

[tama]

26. I trust you are familiar

with the concept of succession? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_succession

Californian indians used controlled fires (with perfect timing) for thousands of years and created a sustained ecosystem of a vast forest garden that they were very much part of. Europeans stopped the practice of controlled fire and destroyed that ecosystem, which can be best described as a paradise.

See for example: aeoe.org/resources/fire/Firepaper.pdf

[Fotoware58]

27. Of course!!

Yes, I subscribe to the idea of "active management" and good stewardship. "Natural succession" was interrupted by Indians, who shaped their own environment. Indians did indeed create wonderful forests through skilled burning that benefitted them and allowed them to survive. We do need to get back to that concept but, we can't just fling fusees into our radically-overstocked and unhealthy forests, riddled with bark beetles and intensely flammable species compositions, due to fire suppression. The land HAS to be prepared for fire, as this monumental Park Service screw-up so elegantly shows!

Indians always burned their lands at very low intensities. Today's eco's disregard that fact and advocate the catastrophic fires we are seeing today. Much of the Sierra Nevada WAS well-adapted to fires, with little buildup in the fuels, due to the Indians' persistent and skillful burning. Only through man's intervention can we restore these forests closer to their anthropogenic splendor. However, the powers that be have made it clear that we are to eliminate those ideas in favor of fencing off the forests and letting destructive fires roam free. I hope that the idea of poorly-designed prescribed fires will go up in smoke, just like Yosemite is right now. Controlled burns CANNOT do the job alone!!

[tama]

28. UGH!

My people (Savonians, a Finnish tribe) also used to be forest gardeners untill TPTB (Europeans and European minded) forbid so they could make forests into treefields that and I know that to burn a forest in controlled way - and for (seminomadic) cultivation, not just for fun! - it needs to be slashed first, a year before. That's why it's called slash-and-burn method! :)

BTW my tribe is partially to blame for the survival of early colonists. King of Sweden took some of my ancestors to America where some early colonists didn't know how to feed themselves. My ancestors slashed and burned and cultivated and hunted and gathered and fed the people and made good friends with the indians, learned from them many things and taught a few. Indians liked our sauna very much. :)

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[pinto]

4. Seems a 90 acre controlled burn (Wed.) jumped perimeter. Tues. containment is expected.

Last Update: 8/27 1:30 pm

A wildfire continues to burn in Yosemite National Park.

So far, the Big Meadow Fire has burned about 1,200 acres near Foresta, just north of the Merced River.

The fire started as a controlled burn on Wednesday to reduce the risk of wild fires but eventually spread beyond the 90 acre perimeter.

Park spokesman Scott Gediman said, “We have air tankers -- we have fire teams from the United States Forest Service, Cal Fire. We’re actively fighting this fire – it’s called a suppression fire."

Highways 120 and 140 around the park are closed because of the fire.

Fire fighters expect to have it contained by Tuesday.

http://www.cbs47.tv/news/local/story/Control-Burn-in-Yosemite-Gets-Out-of-Control/XQmsPH6RU0SB0cCfXTPmkQ.cspx

[Fotoware58]

6. New strike teams headed there this morning

The area of the old A-Rock fire within the park is thick manzanita brush, some pines and lots and lots of old growth logs lying on the ground, hidden by the brush. I happen to know that area quite well, as I worked on the Forest Service side of the A-Rock fire way back in 1990. They have evacuated the Crane Flat campground and I sure hope it doesn't get up into those massive trees there. Again, mid-90's weather is expected and the terrain is south-facing and steep! I haven't heard if Highway 120 is closed or not but, I wouldn't be surprised if it were soon closed. The skies here are quite smoky, 50 miles away, as the crow flies. I'll bet it isn't a "burn day", according to the State of California.

During the A-Rock fire, it made destructive runs, consuming everything in its path. Once the remaining mature pines are burned, there will be no seed source left to reforest the area. Pine seeds can only travel about 200 feet (that is, when the pines actually HAVE cones on a given year!)

[sandnsea]

5. Not quite

The Wildcat, Grouse and Harden fires are all lightening strikes.

"The Wildcat Fire is smoldering and moving slowly through brush, red fir, Jeffery pine and ground fuels. Isolated islands of unburned fuel are still burning inside the fire perimeter."

http://www.uniondemocrat.com/2009082597633/News/Local-News/Wildcat-Fire-still-growing

Big Meadow has burned 2000 acres, within the 1990 A-Rock fire scar so it is cleaning up fuel.

Give it up.

[pinto]

10. Ah, thanks for the follow up. I'd heard of some summer storms running the Sierra.

[kestrel91316]

7. "Controlled" burning during a summer heat wave is, or should be,

totally against NPS policy. I know at GBNP they would never do something so foolish. Jeez.

Things WILL regrow, but a poorly-managed conflagration carries a significant risk of allowing nonnative plants to get a foothold where they didn't have one.

They need to hire more ecologists at Yosemite and USE THEM, it sounds like.

Bush gutted NPS funding, unfortunately.

[Fotoware58]

12. Smoke warnings!!

Smoke prompts health warning
Written by James Damschroder, The Union Democrat August 28, 2009 11:47 am
Smoke accumulating from a fire burning in Yosemite National Park is rendering Tuolumne County air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups, according to county health officials.


The air quality is especially bad in valleys and basins in the county, which can entrap smoke, according to health officials.

The range of visibility provides a good measure of air quality. Air quality is healthy if visibility stretches 10 miles or more. It's moderate if visibility is between six and nine miles. It's unhealthy for sensitive groups if visibility is between three and five miles. It's unhealthy for all groups if visibility is between one-and-a-half and two-and-a-half miles. It's very unhealthy if visibility is between one and one-and-a-quarter miles. And it's hazardous if visibility is three-quarters of a mile or less.

Individuals with lung or heart disease should make sure that they have a supply of medications on hand and are following their caregivers' instructions, health officials said. Those with asthma should follow the asthma management plan provided by their health-care providers.

Also, elderly people and young children should limit their outdoor activities when local air quality is "unhealthy for sensitive groups."

Signs that smoke inhalation may be becoming unhealthy include coughing, a scratchy throat, irritated sinuses, shortness of breath, stinging eyes, a runny nose, chest pain or headaches.

Area residents should consult a doctor if they are experiencing the worsening of one of these conditions.

Those trying to escape the smoke by staying indoors should keep windows and doors closed. Air conditioning units should have the fresh-air intake closed, and the filter should be cleaned to prevent smoke from seeping into homes. Those who don't have air conditioning and it's too hot to keep windows and doors closed should seek shelter elsewhere.

A high-efficiency particulate air filter could reduce breathing problems. Most dusk masks are not effective in reducing smoke inhalation.

Comment by poster: Is THIS another one of those supposed benefits of fire?!?!

[Fotoware58]

13. Update

Yosemite fire rapidly grows to 2,600 acres
Written by James Damschroder, The Union Democrat August 28, 2009 12:10 pm

At the Wawona road tunnel, tourists pulled over to take photos of the giant plume of smoke rising above Yosemite National Park Thursday afternoon. Maggie Beck/Union Democrat, copyright 2009A prescribed burn in Yosemite National Park has developed into the nightmare it was meant to prevent: a raging wildfire.

The Big Meadow Fire was ignited Wednesday morning as a 90-acre prescribed burn. By early this morning, it had scorched 2,600 acres, according to Yosemite officials.


“It’s a horrible situation,” said Gary Wuchner, Yosemite fire spokesman.

The about 100 residents and visitors of the Foresta area, which the prescribed burn was meant to protect, were evacuated before the sun rose on Thursday. Highway 120, also known as Big Oak Flat Road, is closed from Crane Flat to its junction with El Portal Road.

David Rocker, who was staying at his vacation home in Foresta, left the area Wednesday for a picnic to avoid what was supposed to be a day-long prescribed burn.

But late in his leisurely day, he noticed the smoke column building above the fire. He drove back to his home because his yellow Labrador, Chloe, was still there.

Chloe is safe now— she was lapping water from her dish in the back of Rocker’s car on Thursday afternoon.

“We’ve heard one house’s deck was lost,” Rocker said, adding that his home so far has been spared from the flames.

Shortly after the prescribed burn was set on Wednesday morning in a large meadow northeast of Foresta, it escaped the burn’s boundaries when the wind picked up and sent embers flying, Wuchner said.

“It got out of control when one cedar tree took off and cast embers into a lot of dry fuel,” Wuchner said. “Then the winds changed direction, to the west, and the fire crossed Big Oak Flat and Foresta roads.”

Wuchner was trying to stay positive on Thursday — explaining that unlike the 1990 A-Rock Fire, which scorched large trees in the same area, the current fire was being fed by fuels along the ground.

On Thursday, turnouts along Wawona Road were jammed with tourists observing the fire’s rapid spread across the stumpy forest and the vibrant cloud of smoke hovering over it.

“It’s exciting but sad,” said Laurie Larson, of San Pedro. “You don’t want to see a controlled burn get out of control.”

Sharon Griffiths, visiting from Reading, Pa., was atop Half Dome watching the prescribed burn begin to get out of control on Wednesday.

“You could see the smoke beginning to really come off the fire,” she said.

Resources from across the state have shifted to the blaze as quickly as it has grown. As of Thursday, 500 firefighters, three helicopters, four air tankers and 24 fire engines were fighting the flames.

Included in the personnel is an interagency team headed by Stanislaus National Forest Division Chief Alan Johnson. Forest Service Hotshot crews from all over the state are fighting the blaze.

On Thursday, air tankers were disappearing into the cloud of smoke to make fire-retardant drops on the fire. Simultaneously, helicopters, sucking water from the Merced River near El Portal, made water drops on the perimeter of the fire. Dozers cut fire lines along the fire’s southern edge.

The smoke seemed to be blowing away from Yosemite Valley, which was relatively clear considering the growing blaze bordering it. Late in the day, along El Portal Road just outside of the valley, the landscape had a golden hue from the blanketing smoke.

Wuchner said, unfortunately, hindsight is not a tool the fire crews can use to douse the flames.

“We are trying to take advantage of not having very many fires in the state,” he said of the large force congregating to extinguish the fire.

Comment by poster: Re-burns are always significant events. Often the re-burn can be almost as destructive as the original fire. The grounds fuels, which I talked about, are incredibly thick and hot-burning, because old growth snags have fallen over since the A-Rock fire in 1989. If we are lucky, the new fire will stay within the old fire perimeter but, it could run up and over Highway 120, and get into some really big green timber closer to Crane Flat.

[sandnsea]

14. Fire Pics

Here's your horrifying fire. Quite Fear Mongering.





http://www.myyosemite.com/big-meadow-prescribed-fire-photos-and-update-82709-630pm

[Fotoware58]

15. Sure looks like trouble to ME!

Dark smoke indicates a hot fire and intense activity, and the vegetation and fuels looks to be VERY heavy. There USED to be thick old growth forest there. Notice the snags that are still standing. There is probably double those laying down on the ground. The logs are still there, fueling and hot and persistent fire. If the winds kick up, LOOK OUT!!!! It could easily race up to the Tioga Pass Road, burning through old growth and fuels buildups. If this fire wasn't a problem, why would they bring in a Sikorsky S-64 SkyCrane to drop water on it, along with all those airtankers???

Since the fires is burning above Highway 120, there will be no fire crews cutting firelines up there. There is no stopping this one, now!

[Fotoware58]

16. From a news article back in 1989

"Today, 3,000 exhausted firefighters, helped by National Guard helicopters, contained about 80 percent of the worst of the fires that in the last week have burned 22,000 acres of forest, including a stand of ancient timber that is the habitat of the southern spotted owl, and destroyed 68 houses and other buildings. All of the fires were caused by lightning strikes."

[Fotoware58]

17. Another report of the A-Rock fire from 1990

"Crown fires -- among the most lethal forces in the forest -- occur when flames reach into the canopy and torch the leaves or needles on the uppermost branches. Most fire researchers believe such severe fires generally did not occur in the Sierran mixed-conifer forests until white settlers unwittingly altered the ecosystem. Before then, they say, flames stayed close to the ground and moved swiftly, earning the name "caretaker fires" because they cleaned the forest floor and killed small understory firs and cedars. Such low-intensity flames rarely killed the old pines or sequoia forming the canopy.

That theory had held for all Yosemite fires in previous years. But this summer sprang some surprises, says Van Wagtendonk. In one case, extreme winds descending from a thunderstorm blew across the A-rock blaze with gusts of 60 miles per hour, propelling a crown fire through 2,000 acres of forest that had previously burned during prescribed fires.

"Flames danced from treetop to treetop, and a thick pall of acrid smoke descended on the valley. The majestic stands of giant sequoias were difficult to make out, and the monolithic granite landmarks -- El Capitan, Sentinel Rock and Half Dome -- were all but invisible. Perhaps the most beautiful and certainly among the most popular of national parks, California's Yosemite was shrouded in gloom last week as three major wildfires, triggered by lightning strikes the week before, swept through the pristine forest. Residents of nearby towns fled their homes, and for the first time in its 100-year history, Yosemite was closed. Some 10,000 visitors trapped overnight in the park's central valley were finally led out at 4:30 the next morning along roads flanked by blazing trees. The scene brought back frightening memories of 1988, when nearly half of Yellowstone National Park was engulfed in flame."

Now, this fires is burning in the untouched skeletons of GIANT old growth snags, many of which have fallen to the ground, fueling the fire intensity and making control all but impossible. Even though the fire crew, who lit the prescibed fire, might have thought they were ready for anything, even they were caught by surprise when the fire jumped the fire lines.

Once again, this was a VERY risky operation and I am sure there will be a BIG investigation over why they chose to do the burn during a drought year, in the middle of the summer. You heard it here first! I predict that heads will roll and SOMEONE will be the scapegoat!!!

[Fotoware58]

18. More local coverage

Pay particular attention to the comments from locals who live in the community of Foresta

http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/55646187.html

Example: 4:39 PM Brian wrote ...
We were given less than 24 hrs notice of the burn. They're saying conditions were right but that's bull, it was hot and dry that morning. They let certain people in to get belongings, but denied others (me) the same day. This is BEFORE the official evacuation. This was a major blunder on their part, not enough people or equipment and wrong time of year. But let's see if they admit it. Unbelievable.

[Fotoware58]

19. More coverage, including VIDEO!!

http://www.wildfiretoday.com/news/2009/8/28/update-on-yosemites-big-meadow-fire.html
Be sure to check out the time lapse video!!



And from another website

img src=
Looks pretty DAMN intense to ME!!!!

[Fotoware58]

20. More info from locals

http://www.yosemitearea.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8214

Including the latest update I could find

Yosemite National Park

* 2,800 acres, 10% containment
* Mid 90's, RH in low teens
* Burning in Crane Creek (Hmmmmm, that is conflicting with reports that the fire is over in Wildcat Creek, miles away)

[Fotoware58]

21. Orthographic fire map

img src=

Looks to be growing on ALL flanks!! Firefighters are only offering structure protection in Foresta as fire continues to grow! The spot fires to the north, towards Crane Flat, look like they may be BIG trouble if they cannot corral them. That puts them maybe a mile from Crane Flat, and if you know the park, you know there's seriously big trees ready to burn there. The white firs and cedars up there are particularly flammable.

[Fotoware58]

22. The intensity of this fire...

will leave the land unable to re-absorb a large portion of the GHG's and deadly toxic gases released. Soils will be affected for decades, and the land is doomed to be brushfields for maybe even centuries. Soils will be depleted and and pines will not return in many numbers without human intervention.

WHY do preservationists cling to the fallacy that "fires are beneficial"??? It just isn't so, with today's unnatural fires!

[Fotoware58]

23. Latest Update!

"The Big Meadow Fire in Yosemite National Park and Stanislaus National Forest, California, grew to 3,506 acres today. The Big Meadow Fire was set by Yosemite National Park Fire Crews on August 26, 2009 as a prescribed burn and shortly thereafter, the fire grew out of the prescription lines.

The Big Oak Flat Road, from Crane Flat Gas Station to the intersection of El Portal Road and Big Oak Flat Road, remains closed due to fire activity. In addition, Crane Flat and Tamarack Flat Campgrounds, Foresta, Old El Portal, and Yosemite View Lodge also remain closed. There is no projected opening date at this time.

Visitors to Yosemite National Park may experience delays on Route 140 due to fire operations."

The fire is 16% contained.

Comment by poster: They should not be talking about "prescription lines", as this fire was never "in prescription", as they torched it off DESPITE the hot and dry conditions. The Forest Service has a VERY strict set of guidelines for being "in prescription". I'm guessing that either the NPS have no guidelines, or just didn't follow them. I am at the same elevation as Yosemite Valley and the temperature here, at 3:20PM is 93 degrees but, almost no breeze.

[Fotoware58]

24. Top four questions asked:

I found this official preliminary response to the escape of the Big Meadow Prescribed Fire. I'm sure that there will be others to question their actions, risks and results, as well. If we don't learn from this, we will be doomed to repeat it. With all the proposed and desired prescribed fire treatments (as well as Let-Burn fires) on the table, we DO need to question whether they are safe and appropriate.



August 29, 2009 - A community meeting was held in El Portal last evening with Yosemite National Park Acting Superintendent Dave Uberuaga and other Incident leaders. A number of important questions were asked by employees and residents. Following are four of the most frequently asked questions and answers:

Why did the National Park Service ignite the Big Meadow fire in August?

The Big Meadow prescribed fire was initiated based upon a written and pre-determined "window" of very specific conditions (temperature, humidity, fuel type, wind speed, smoke dispersal, etc.). At the time of ignition all conditions were within this window. Prescribed fires may be done any month of the year depending upon the objectives of the burn.

Comment by poster: I question whether a proper fuels inventory was done, due to the extreme density of the manzanita hiding the excessive and large 1000-hour fuels in the form of GIANT logs laying on the ground underneath the brush. Site preparation should probably have been done but budgetary issues seem to have taken precedence.

Why couldn't the meadow be burned in much cooler conditions?

The Park uses prescribed fire to accomplish specific objectives. In the case of the Big Meadow fire, those objectives were meadow restoration and the maintenance of fire resistant vegetation for the Foresta Community. For vegetation to burn it must be sufficiently dry and flammable to maintain a fire. The prescription for the Big Meadow burn was based upon these objectives.

Comment by poster: Oh yeah, it was surely DRY! AND abundant! The concept of reducing fuels was a good one but, did the prescription allow this burning during NEAR-RECORD temperatures, in a drought year and during the middle of the summer?!? Again, budgets seem to be a bigger issue in this than they are letting on to. The project could have been safely completed with three annual treatments in the fall, when fuels are wetter. Although the burn windows in the fall, due to the State's rules, are quite narrow, the extreme risk is just not justified, compared to costs. In hindsight, I'll bet this one fire will have burned up several year's budgets! The Forest Service's prescribed fire rules and guidelines are MUCH more realistic and safe. Does the Park Service's prescriptions allow for adequate safety of the fire personnel, the public and the park?!?! This question is of paramount importance!

What went wrong then?

The development of the prescription window and its review and signoff are processes that agencies have carefully developed to minimize the risk of a fire escape. However, when dealing with all the complexities that can affect a fire, it is nearly impossible to reduce risk to zero. The National Park Service will conduct a careful review once the fire is extinguished.

Comment by poster: A total "NON-answer"!! Did they have enough personnel and equipment onhand for every contingency?? Often, firefighters are going back to school at this time of year. Did that have an effect on the decision to burn during this hot part of the summer?? Would they have had enough personnel later on in the fall, when it would be safer to accomplish the work?? I would guess that these are more important issues than they would care to admit. Someone needs to ask those questions and work out some solutions. I also question the Park Service's expertise, due to the numerous questions and issues I have posed here.

Will someone be held accountable for the fire and the damage it has done?

In the National Park Service, prescribed fires plans are reviewed and approved by multiple individuals and then authorized by the Superintendent or his/her representative. Any escaped prescribed fire requires a review once the fire is extinguished. The review will include independent, knowledgeable fire professionals and will produce findings. Based upon those findings, the agency may take further actions including those that might affect responsible officials.

Comment by poster: The blame should ultimately be placed on the Superintendent, since he should be as informed on the issues, dangers and risks as the specialists under his charge. My guess as to how this happened is a lack of knowledge and misjudgment of the extent of dangerous fuels, a lack of preparation of the land to be burned, and letting their budget determine when to burn, preferring to do this risky work in one big chunk, instead of several smaller and vastly safer chunks.

[Fotoware58]

25. Fire forecast

A sketchy prediction for containing this fire is at Septemeber 10th. However, plenty can happen between now and then. If a dry cold front comes in, that will intensify fire behavior. Dry cold fronts, and their changeable winds, become more and more common as we get into September. This wasn't the only problem that Yosemite fire crews have had this summer. They also chose to torch off hundreds of acres above Highway 41 and below the Glacier Point Road. The backfire they set killed hundreds of old trees but, they felt it was necessary to contain a lightning fire they allowed to burn, as per their goofy fire plan.

Highway 120 will continue to be closed for the time being, threatened with dead trees and falling rock hazards. The costs for this "goof" will be extreme and people ARE skeptical of the Park's expertise in dealing with fires.

Latest update: Fire is now at 4382 acres with 50% containment. Surprising progress but, they usually don't put fire crews at the head of the fire. Also, there is a Red Flag Warning for extreme fire danger in the Sierra Nevada!!

[Fotoware58]

29. More health alerts!

The Reno/Tahoe area is now socked in with smoke and they have issued a health alert to stay inside. Yep, 100,000+ people's health at risk, now. Nice and "beneficial", eh?

The winds here locally are noticeably increased, gusting up to 15-20 mph. I'll bet the Big Meadow Fire will have increased fire behavior, as well. There is still TONS of high-density fuels within the fire perimeter and in front of the head of the fire.

The locals are EXTREMELY angry and want someone's head on a platter. Local businesses are suffering and will take a HUGE hit for the holiday weekend coming up!

Thanks Park Service!!

[Fotoware58]

30. Tioga Pass Road now restricted!

Update: August 30, 2009 Afternoon

"The Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park will have restricted access, between Crane Flat and White Wolf, beginning Monday, August 31, continuing until fire operations along the road are complete. This segment of the road will have controlled access with a pilot car during daylight hours, and be closed completely each night. Motorists should expect delays, which could begin as early as Monday morning.

The Big Meadow Fire continues to spread northeast and use of the Tioga Road for fire operations is necessary. Fire activity is dynamic and conditions may dictate a complete closure of Tioga Road at any time.

Visitors to Yosemite National Park may also experience delays on Route 140 due to fire operations."

--NPS via InciWeb

So, visitors to Yosemite National Park can expect delays and/or road closures, in addition to poor air quality, over the next few days as a result of the growing Big Meadow Fire.

Original Update: August 30, 2009 Morning

"The Big Meadow Fire in Yosemite National Park and Stanislaus National Forest, California, grew from 3,506 to 4,382 acres acres overnight. The Big Meadow Fire was set by Yosemite National Park Fire Crews on August 26, 2009 as a prescribed burn and shortly thereafter, the fire grew out of the prescription lines.

Current Situation from InciWeb: "Yesterday, firefighters made good progress improving fire lines east of El Portal. The active portion of the fire is in the north and northwest flanks away from Foresta and El Portal. Today, the highest priority continues to be improving fire lines east of El Portal and structure protection in Foresta. Firefighters are aided by 11 water dropping helicopters and six air tankers. Control difficulties continue to be hot weather, low humidity, and steep terrain."

Road Closures: The Big Oak Flat Road from Crane Flat Gas Station to the intersection of El Portal Road and Big Oak Flat Road.

Trail Closures: Old Big Oak Flat Trailhead to El Capitan, Rockslides to El Capitan, Tamarack Creek to El Capitan.

Campground Closures: Tamarack and Crane Flat Campgrounds.

This special announcement was made today: "Due to fire operations, The Tioga Road may be closed or restricted at any time."

The fire is 50% contained.

[Fotoware58]

33. Latest Update!

The Big Meadow Fire in Yosemite National Park and Stanislaus National Forest, California, has grown from 5,257 to 5,933 acres and is still at 55% contained. The Big Meadow Fire was set by Yosemite National Park Fire Crews on August 26, 2009 as a prescribed burn and shortly thereafter, the fire grew out of the prescription lines.

No official update about closures yet this morning, but closures from yesterday remain in place until further notice and the following information about plans for fighting the fire today were released this morning.

Tactics for Wednesday, September 2, from InciWeb:

"Today firefighters will continue to work on containing the fire at Tamarack Flat Campground Road and Tioga Road using all available resources. When conditions are favorable firefighters will conduct burnout operations along Big Oak Flat and Tioga Roads. Firefighters continue to reinforce lines around Foresta and El Portal. No major fire activity is reported in these areas."

Evening Update: September 1--"This afternoon, significant fire activity was seen near Tamarack Flat with spotting across the Tioga Road. Air tankers and helicopters attacked these areas aggressively with water and retardant drops. On the northwest flank, successful burning operations were completed to further secure the line above upper Crane Creek."

The fire remains at 55% contained.

Suppression costs have now ballooned up to $9,100,000!!! I sure hope this is taken out of THEIR budget!

[Fotoware58]

34. Still growing!

Firefighters say they are making "significant progress" in the Big Meadow Fire at Yosemite National Park.

Aided by burning operations, forward progress of the blaze was stopped along Tioga Road and toward the Crane Flat Campground.

The fire, started by an out-of-control controlled burn, is now at 6,200 acres and 60 percent contained.

Full containment is expected by next Thursday (September 10).

With suppression costs approaching TEN MILLION DOLLARS, that surely isn't all the expensive costs assocaiated with this fire. The local communities who depends on the tourist dollars have taken a BIG hit especially with the holiday coming up. And, just what are the costs in human suffering, as I can attest to in being affected by the thick smoke and have no air conditioning to keep the smoke out of my home?

Anothe HUGE impact is the fact that firefighters are still working on this fire that never should have happened. Instead, they could be helping on one of the other significant fires burning in the state.

[Fotoware58]

36. New Update

The Big Meadow Fire in Yosemite National Park and Stanislaus National Forest has grown to 7,240 acres and is 70 percent contained, according to the National Park Service.

Yosemite National Park will remain open during the fire. Yosemite can be accessed by Highway 140 and Highway 41. Access to Tuolumne Meadows, Olmsted Point, and White Wolf from the east side (Highway 395 at Lee Vining) remains open using the Tioga Pass entrance. All campgrounds in the park are open, with the exception of Crane Flat Campground and Tamarack Flat Campground.

The Big Oak Flat Road is closed to through traffic at the Big Oak Flat Entrance Station to the junction of the El Portal Road. The Tioga Road remains closed to through traffic from White Wolf to the Crane Flat Gas Station.


Yep, the screw-up continues to balloon. Locals suffer from the smoke, businesses are losing one of their biggest weekends of the year and people are scrambling to find other vacation spots.

AND, the suppression costs continue to rise and rise and rise. The bill for this monumental idiocy has now risen to almost $12,000,000!!! Add to that the rehabilitation costs for erosion control, road safety and other VERY costly items yet to occur, down the road.



Soooooooooooooooooooo, do YOU want MORE prescribed fires in your own backyard?!?!

[Fotoware58]

31. Suppression costs, so far

$5,700,000 has already been spent on the Big Meadow screw-up!

[Fotoware58]

32. How many more times...

will prescribed fires escape and destroy our forests and parks?!?!? Will people continue to believe that controlled burns alone will be able to take care of massive fuels buildups?? What will we do with the promised new wilderness areas that are overstocked, unhealthy and highly flammable?? Will we continue to let forests burn, thinking that will save them??

Wake up, America!!!!!!!!!

[Fotoware58]

35. Can we trust firefighters, anymore??

Or are they just another corporate group that extracts money from our forests, at the expense of the environment???

Anyway, yet another update on the Big Meadow Fire

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2009/09/yosemite-fire-1.html

Be sure to look at the stunning fire pictures that shows how intense the fire actually is, despite the opinions of the "peanut gallery". We have now spent $11,000,000 dollars because the Park Service couldn't wait until November to burn! Good job!!