Part of Hume Lake is closed because of Rough fire

A portion of Hume Lake is closed because of the Rough fire and a wilderness area also was closed by federal officials on Friday.

Meanwhile, an advisory is in place for those using Highway 180 to Cedar Grove so motorists know fire is in the area, but the road is not closed.

The portion of Hume Lake that was closed is near the dam and covers about one-third of the lake along Lakeshore Station and Sandy Cove roads. The lake closure will allow helicopters access to water for aerial drops, said Steve Phillips, emergency communications center manager for Sequoia National Forest in Porterville.

Hume Lake Campground, Hume Lake Trail, Hume Lake Christian Camp and Hume Beach are not in the closure area, according to maps released Friday.

In addition, the Monarch Wilderness was closed to hikers Friday for safety reasons because of the fire, Phillips said.

A travel advisory remains in effect for visitors traveling to Grant Grove, Cedar Grove and along Highway 180 between the two sites. Visitors should be aware of fire trucks and other emergency vehicles traveling in the park. There are no closures for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

The Rough fire was 13,345 acres and has zero percent containment on Friday. It was caused by lightning on July 31.

This story was originally published August 14, 2015 at 2:45 PM with the headline "Part of Hume Lake is closed because of Rough fire."