Wildfire updates: Sequoia fires still growing. Here are latest acreage, containment totals
The KNP Complex fire has burned more than 42,000 acres, spreading as of Saturday from Sequoia National Park into the neighboring national forest, officials said.
Several fires were sparked in the park by lightning Sept. 9 and are now being fought as one “complex” set of blazes, growing by about 9,000 acres in 24 hours. Containment remained at 0%.
Officials said the majority of the new growth was in the Ash Mountain and Mineral King Road areas, where a burning operation took place to protect private residences and national park buildings and infrastructure.
More than 1,700 firefighters are assigned to the fire, according to fire officials.
Winds remain light, officials said. Areas where smoke clears will see more active fire behavior in the afternoon.
Air operations continue to support ground-crew efforts when smoky skies allow across the fire area.
No new evacuation warnings had been ordered for the KNP Complex.
Windy Fire tops 70,000 acres
The Windy Fire, meanwhile, had burned 71,349 acres, threatening giant sequoia groves, including the Giant Sequoia National Monument, and in some cases reaching the ancient trees in the Sequoia National Forest while also burning on Tule River Indian Reservation land.
Nearly 1,800 firefighters are working to contain that wildfire, which is 5% contained.
Officials said the fire was “very active Friday.”
“The fire is exhibiting high resistance to control and is active in all vegetation types. Fire spread today was was primarily a function of aggressive surface fire, short uphill runs, group tree torching, short- and long-range spotting, and roll-outs due to steep, complex terrain,” officials posted on the incident page.
The fire moved north toward Ponderosa, east toward Johnsondale, and south beyond California Hot Springs and Sugarloaf.
North of the reservation boundary, Camp Nelson remains threatened as fire continues to make uphill runs in terrain along the 2017 Pier Fire scar.
Several Tulare County communities have been evacuated, with a temporary evacuation center established at Porterville College.
Officials issued the latest evacuation orders for the Windy Fire early Friday.
After issuing a warning Thursday, Tulare County officials ordered evacuations for the communities of California Hot Springs and Pine Flat areas, which includes M-504 at Tyler Creek, southeast to Pine Flat, west to M-56, Fire Control Road, north to Tyler Creek Road, Sugar Loaf, Sugarloaf Mountain Park, Sugarloaf Saw Mill, White River, Idlewild, Posey, Panorama Heights, Poso, Balance Rock, Spear Creek, from the existing Hot Spring Evacuation Order west to King George Peak, south to County M56, including Oak Flat, Twin Peak, to Vincent Ranch at the Tulare-Kern Counties Border, east to Portuguese Peak, and back north to Dunlap Meadow.
An evacuation order is mandatory and indicates an immediate threat to life, safety and property and all residents and visitors must leave before the fire reaches the affected area, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office stated.
For those unable to evacuate domestic animals, call Tulare County Animal Shelter Manager Cassandra Heffington at 559-679-6222.
Wildfire smoke still hurting Valley air
In addition to national park and forest closures spoiling travel plans for those on the Valley floor, people throughout much of the middle of California continue to deal with smoky skies caused by the Sequoia fires.
Fresno and counties throughout the central San Joaquin Valley as well as some on the coast and in the Bay Area likely still will be dealing with poor air quality in the coming days.
The National Weather Service projected heavy smoke and hazardous conditions from the fires will last at least through the weekend.
High resolution smoke projections show surface and higher-level smoke will linger across Central Valley counties as far south as Kern and as far north as San Joaquin. The smoke also will affect coastal counties such as Monterey, San Luis Obispo and even Santa Clara County in the Bay Area.
This story was originally published September 25, 2021 at 4:22 PM.
