Update: KNP Complex fires merge, reach edge of Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park
The Colony Fire and the Paradise Fire, two wildfires that together comprised the KNP Complex that’s burned for a week in Sequoia National Park, have merged into one fire and reached the edge of a historic grove of giant sequoia trees.
“The fire made a really good push; we now have one fire instead of two,” said John Wallace, an operations chief with the incident command team in charge of battling the blaze. “The fire grew by about 6,000 acres (Friday).”
Wallace said the eastward and northward growth of the now-combined fire pushed flames into the westernmost tip of the Giant Forest grove of giant sequoias, into an area of four large trees known as the Four Guardsmen.
More than 400 firefighters are battling the wildfire, which is now estimated to encompass almost 18,000 acres.
Containment of the fire remains at 0%, as firefighters work to build lines around the wildfire. Between 10 crews working to cut containment lines, the effort includes 28 fire engines, six tanker trucks and eight helicopters.
The Boise, Idaho-based National Interagency Coordination Center reported Saturday that fire behavior has been “extreme.”
The Giant Forest, a grove of massive and ancient giant sequoia trees that are one of the park’s major natural attractions, remains threatened by the continued growth of the fire.
Incident commanders had expected the Colony and Paradise fires to merge this weekend, but the growth surge pushed them together Friday to make an uphill run into the Giant Forest and east up the Kaweah River’s middle fork.
In recent days, park rangers have been wrapping the bases of some of the largest trees in the sequoia grove in burn-resistant aluminum-based foil to protect them from flames. That includes the venerable General Sherman tree – the largest known living single-stem tree on earth at 275 feet tall and more than 36 feet in diameter at the base.
Through the weekend, the fire is expected to continue east and into the Giant Forest and beyond, toward Lodgepole, Wuksachi and Red Fir, as well as expanding south and west.
On Saturday and through the weekend, the fire’s growth will be fueled by dry trees and foliage and driven by wind and low humidity forecast by the National Weather Service in the central Sierra Nevada and foothills. Strong winds of 40 mph or more were being forecast in the mountains under a “red flag” warning of hazardous conditions from Saturday evening through Sunday.
Hotshots in Giant Forest
Wallace said Saturday that a hotshot crew of firefighters has been deployed into the Giant Forest to assess whether it is safe to move a larger cadre of staff into the grove.
“What we’re really worried about … is not that the sequoias would survive the initial pass of the fire,” Wallace said. “It’s the (old fire) scars on the sides of those trees. … Those scars catch on fire and have to be put out by firefighters.”
When the scars catch fire, there is a danger that fire can move into the interior of the tree – a circumstance that Wallace said would not only prolong the wildfire, but kill the tree.
Of even greater concern, however, is ensuring the protection of nearby communities including Three Rivers, which sits along Highway 198 and the Kaweah River west of the park’s Ash Mountain entrance, and cabin communities along Mineral King Road south of the fire area.
Crews from Cal Fire are using bulldozers to cut lines along Paradise Ridge toward Generals Highway, and then plan to work northwest toward Shepherd’s Saddle, Wallace said. Once those lines are built, chemical fire retardants will be used to widen the barrier line even further between the fire and Three Rivers.
Parts of Three Rivers are under an evacuation warning in which residents are encouraged to prepare for the prospect of evacuation if the fire grows in that direction.
“We haven’t seen a lot of spread of the fire to the south that could impact Mineral King Road, but we know that fire is eventually going to begin that slow progress down toward Mineral King,” Wallace said.
Wallace added that more personnel and equipment are expected to arrive. And, he said, “we think the air is going to clear out today, which will allow us to fly aircraft.”
Once it’s safe to fly, “you’re going to see helicopters coming in and out of the lakes around here drafting water,” he said, “and taking it up there and putting it on the fire edge.”
“We may even be able to fly some retardant (tanker) aircraft this afternoon,” Wallace added.
Relief fund started for fire recovery
The Sequoia Parks Conservancy announced Saturday that it has created the KNP Complex Fire Recovery Fund to support the park’s response to the wildfire.
“As hundreds of firefighters from across the country converge to battle the growing wildfire complex, Sequoia Parks Conservancy is rallying the public to raise funds for recovery efforts in the park,” the organization said in a statement.
The conservancy, based in Three Rivers, is a nonprofit partner of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Contributions to the organization are tax-deducible.
Organizers said the fund will help with projects to rebuild trails, protect sequoia groves and meadows, reestablish access to Crystal Cave, protect cultural and historic features, and restore wildlife habitat in the fire zone.
The web page for the recovery fund is at www.sequoiaparksconservancy.org/firefund.
This story was originally published September 18, 2021 at 11:09 AM.
