Creek Fire updates: Sequoia reopening; additional evacuations lifted; crews near Kaiser Pass

The Creek Fire grew little in a day, though containment stayed the same, based on the most recent statistics provided by Cal Fire on Wednesday night.

The wildfire was at 307,051 acres and 44 % contained a day after it consumed 305,249 acres with 44% containment.

As of Wednesday morning, the Creek Fire had destroyed 855 structures as it continued to burn near Big Creek, Huntington Lake, Shaver Lake, Mammoth Pool and the San Joaquin River canyon.

Little is being said about a possible cause for the fire, which remains under investigation since sparking the evening of Sept. 4.

Evacuation orders and warnings continue to be lifted, and residents and businesses are beginning to repopulate areas. Fire officials ask that special attention be given to heavy machinery and firefighting vehicles still operating in the area and that residents prepare for interruptions in utility services.

▪ Firefighters continue to expand containment on the the nearby SQF Complex Fire, which includes the Castle and Shotgun fires. The wildfire complex grew by less than 1,00 acres on Tuesday as containment rose to 61%. So far, 151,426 acres have been burned he in and near the Sequoia National Park and forest and full containment is expected Oct. 10.

▪ The Bullfrog Fire, burning east of Shaver Lake near Courtright Reservoir, continues to look much the same. It remains at 1,185 acres burned and 50% contained, according to incident reports.

6 p.m.: Weekend access

The Sierra National Forest High Sierra Ranger District and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office will allow individuals who were evacuated from campgrounds, camping areas and cabins during the Creek Fire a chance to return and collect their belongings this weekend.

Access is being given so residents can clean out refrigerators, winterize their homes and move back off the forest.

The following schedule is when areas will be allowed access via permit on both Saturday and Sunday:

• 7 a.m.–1 p.m.: Mckinley Grove to Wishon to Courtright Roads.
• 2 p.m.-6 p.m.: Dinkey and Rock Creek areas
• 7 a.m.-7 p.m.: Huntington Lake and Camp Sierra areas.
• 7 a.m.-7 p.m.: Access granted to those needing to remove their boats

Time frames allotted will be strictly enforced, officials said.

Sierra National Forest law enforcement and the sheriff’s office will sweep the area to be sure that no parties are deciding to hang out, loiter, or observe the burned areas of the Creek Fire.

For more information, visit: www.fs.usda.gov/sierra.

5 p.m.: Sequoia National Park to reopen

Sequoia National National Park is reopening Thursday as evacuation warnings have been lifted for most of Three Rivers.

The reopening includes the Generals Highway from the Ash Mountain entrance station into Sequoia National Park to Highway 180 in Kings Canyon, and national park areas, trails along this route, including the Giant Forest.

The exceptions are Mineral King area and some wilderness lands, which will remain closed because of wildfire concerns and facilities that are closed because of the coronavirus.

Sequoia National Forest remains closed.

2 p.m.: Evacuation orders lifted in more areas of Fresno County

Evacuation orders were lifted Wednesday afternoon for eight zones inside Fresno County: F5GB, F6B, F9E, F9H, F11B, F11C, F11E, F11F.

Zones F5GB and F6B were lifted without closure restrictions from the U.S. Forest Service. Evacuation orders in the remaining zones are lifted, but subject to the USFS order that prohibits being on or traveling on roads within the Sierra National Forest. Residents in those zones may need to find alternative routes.

A full list of evacuation orders and corresponding zones can be found online on the Creek Fire Evacuation map.

1:45 p.m.: Hot Shot crews assigned near Kaiser Wilderness

The Creek Fire continues to burn north of Huntington Lake in the Kaiser Wilderness. Though the wildfire is being held in place by rock and granite, firefighters are assessing an opportunity and may try to battle directly on the fire’s edge with Hot Shot crews.

Firefighters continue to hold the Kaiser Pass Road with night shift crews that can take advantage of higher humidity and the dark to gain containment. Crews are doing structure preparation in Mono Hot Spring and Edison Lake should the fire move into that area.

10:30 a.m.: Incident command center moves from Sierra High School

Continuing hot and dry weather conditions — with temperatures 10 degrees above average — allowed for increased fire activity on the eastern portion of the Creek Fire near the 80 Road and Potter Pass on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mostly, firefighters in the southern zone continue to patrol and enhance containment lines. Crews are mopping up and increasing the depth of the established fire line and treating hot spots while structure defense continues in several areas within and near the southern and eastern edges.

The Incident Command Post at Sierra High School will relocate to the Veterans Memorial Building at 808 4th St. in Clovis, though public information will continues in both locations.

The hotter weather, combined with dry fuels has the potential for flare-ups and upslope runs along with short-range spotting in the fire northern zone, where it was active in the the Ansel Adams Wilderness on Tuesday.

Crews worked to put out hot spots and are planning a small backfiring operation to connect and fill in the containment line on the northwestern edge of the fire on Wednesday.

Near Bass Lake, an area east of Central Camp and south of Little Shuteye Peak continues to be monitored, where the fire has been hung up in the rocks the past 10 days. The structure protection group continues to work throughout the fire area, including in the Johnson and Arnold Meadow areas.

10 a.m.: Fire burned nearly 2,000 acres overnight; containment remains at 44%

The Creek Fire grew by some 1,800 acres Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, according to an incident update. The fire has grown to 307,051 acres. Containment of the fire remains at 44%.

9:15 a.m.: Lawmaker meets with Shaver business owners, employees to talk unemployment

Assemblyman Jim Patterson met with Shaver Lake business owners and employees on Wednesday to talk about unemployment benefits available to those affected by the Creek and SQF Complex Fire.

Unemployment is available to any worker or self-employed person who lived, worked or was scheduled to work in a federal disaster area at the time of the disaster and who no longer has a job or a place to work, cannot reach the place of work, cannot work due to damage to the place of work or can’t work because of an injury caused by said disaster.

Benefits are those affected by the Creek Fire are retroactive to Sept. 6 and are available for the period of the business closure, even if the applicant has gone back to work, according to a statement from Patterson’s office.

Patterson met with employees at Pub N Grub, who were all unaware they qualified for unemployment benefits, as they cleaned the restaurant in preparation for its re opening next week.

8:15 a.m.: Another day of heat, poor air quality predicted for Central Valley

Tuesday saw near record-breaking heat in Fresno. The city hit 102 degrees, tying a record set in 1992, according to the National Weather Service.

It also saw deteriorating air quality, which will continue into next week as the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District reissued a health warning due to smoke from the Creek Fire, the SQF Complex Fire and the Glass Fire in Napa County, which is causing smoke to drift into San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.

Temperatures on Wednesday will again be above normal — in the upper 90s, with a few areas seeing the century mark — with air quality dropping to unhealthy levels in Fresno, Tulare and the Sequoia National Park and forest. Air quality for the rest of the Central Valley is predicted to be unhealthy for sensitive groups.

By 7 a.m. Wednesday, the AQI in Fresno had reached 106, a level that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. The PM2.5 particulate level was still in level two — where sensitive individuals should consider reducing prolonged and/or vigorous outdoor activities.

This story was originally published September 30, 2020 at 9:30 AM.