Yosemite Meadow Fire Heads Up

[Preston]

If you're planning a trip to Yosemite in the near future be aware there is a new fire burning in Little Yosemite Valley.

Here's a recent report from our local Sonora news:

Yosemite National Park officials report that the Meadow Fire has burned 2,582 acres, and there is no containment. It is burning in an isolated area located in Yosemite’s back country, behind Half Dome. It is burning within the area known as Little Yosemite Valley, on both sides of the Merced River. All trails in that area are closed.

Asked about whether there is still high growth potential, Yosemite Spokesperson Ashley Mayer says, “We’ll have to see what happens. We did get a little bit of rain this morning, and the winds have died down a bit from what we saw yesterday afternoon. So, hopefully that will aid the firefighters in their fight. We’ll have to see what the day holds.”

Around 100 hikers and backpackers were evacuated from the Little Yosemite Valley area on Sunday, and 85 hikers were evacuated by helicopter from the top of Half Dome, thanks to the CHP, CAL Fire, US Forest Service, and Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park.

Due to the isolated area of the fire, it is being fought mainly by air resources and hot shot crews. There are four Type 1 helicopters, three Type 2 helicopters (smaller), one air attack, three air tankers, and 100 firefighters.

There is currently no containment. The regional South Central Sierra Interagency Management Team will take over operations at 6pm today.

The fire is believed to have been caused by lightning.

Link (http://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/222115/meadow-fire-nearly-2600-acres.html) to the story.

Be safe out there!

--P

[Vaughn]

I was on top of Half Dome many years ago when there was a fire burning just over the ridge from Little Yosemite Valley. We did not get flown off of Half Dome, but everyone had to head back to the Valley...including those who had just hiked up to Little Yosemite Valley with their backpacks...bummer for them!

[John Kasaian]

We could see lots of lightening in the mountains last night. It was quite a display.

[Preston]

Here's an update on the fire from Inciweb (http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4104/) posted 9/10 at 0800.

--P

[Jac@stafford.net]

This chap took advantage of the light. Sunrise, stars, fire...
http://ppcdn.500px.org/82613023/d23f21e3adf7b01de4e887bf2b36ec96c937e3cb/2048.jpg

[Jmarmck]

However striking that image may be.........it still makes me want to cry.

[richardman]

Dang, and we were planning to hike to Half Dome this coming weekend. I guess the plan is cancelled :-( Hope they get it under control soon (0% contained :-/)

[richardman]

Does anyone know where the vantage point is at that photo? I'ts not quite Glacier Point, is it?

http://ppcdn.500px.org/82613023/d23f21e3adf7b01de4e887bf2b36ec96c937e3cb/2048.jpg

[John Kasaian]

My guess is Washburn Point.

[richardman]

Hi Roufi, it's not my photo, as indicated in the watermark.

I have been to Glacier Point a few times, last time we took the bus up and then hike down the Panoramic Trail. I am thinking may be taking the 4 Miles trail up and down. Not sure if I can handle the 15 lbs bag with the 4x5 with the hike..

[Richard Raymond]

This is at Glacier Point. The split rock in the foreground is the key to identifying the location.

[tgtaylor]

Yep, Glacier Point.

Thomas

[Preston]

As of 0800 this morning:

Total Personnel: 556

Size: 4,906 Acres

Percent of Perimeter Contained: 23%

Much more info at InciWeb (http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4104/).

Be safe out there, everyone!

--P

[dsphotog]

A few feet of snowfall sure would be nice about now.

[Preston]

A few feet of snowfall sure would be nice about now.

It would, indeed! However, I'd settle for an inch or two of gentle rain at this stage of the game.

--P

[tgtaylor]

Half Dome to reopen on Saturday: http://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/Half-Dome-Cables-in-Yosemite-National-Park-to-Open-Saturday-September-13-2014.htm

Thomas

[Sal Santamaura]

Tuan's been there and has a post about it on his blog:


http://www.terragalleria.com/blog/

[Jmarmck]

stunningly beautiful......yet tragic.

[John Kasaian]

Now there's the Courtney fire in Bass Lake.

[John Kasaian]

If we do have El Niño heavy rains his year I fear the damage from erosion on the deforested slopes will be greater and more catastrophic than from the fires.

[Drew Wiley]

Wisely I chose Wyoming (southern Wind Rivers) for my long backpack trip this year. No drought there, and a wonderful mix of weather, and no smoke except one afternoon way off in the distance. Fabulous clouds clear across Utah and Nevada on the way back. But once within 150 miles of California .... smoke everywhere, both sides of the Sierra, towards the north and towards the south. Multiple fires. Two fires still going on in Yosemite, and that big arson fire further north, plus who knows how many more. Decided to come back over Tioga Pass. Couldn't see a thing, but the surreal light did give me a couple interesting shots down in last year's burn zone. Eastern Washington and Oregon have had it even worse. Severe beetle kill was evident on pines clear up to timberline in Wyoming. Climate change in action. Mapped glaciers in the most of the range are now dying small snowfields and not active glaciers at all. Only up around Dinwoody Glacier does the ice seem healthy. But the firs and mtn hemlocks are doing well, and there are still plenty of elk and bighorn sheep around. Even had a moose in camp one evening. Don't generally see them that high, but they apparently like snacking on the tender dwarf willows.

[Drew Wiley]

QT posted an interesting time-lapse sequence on UTube to the Yos Valley fire. Otherwise, I'm disgusted with the whole idea of campfires being allowed anywhere in the
park in summer, esp in an extreme drought year. But I don't know what actually caused that particular fire. The Valley is basically a city in summer, so it could be any
number of things. The Indians burned the meadows annually for millennia to keep them open, so maybe the fire isn't such a bad thing in the long run.

[Sal Santamaura]

QT posted an interesting time-lapse sequence on UTube to the Yos Valley fire...Are you referring to the Vimeo video I linked to in post #17 or another one actually on Youtube? If the latter, link please.

[Drew Wiley]

Sorry, Sal. I stumbled on it looking for an update, but it wasn't thru this forum. I've already erased my search history. I drove across Nev past Walker Lk, pretty
much in line with Tioga. Figured I'd get past the smoke over the top, but it was even worse on the West side. Could hardly even see Cloud's Rest from Olmstead Point. But my goal was to check out the fire footprint down canyon anyway, well outside the Park. Looks like it will be an amazing wildflower season in the burn scars next year if rain is sufficient, but it was pretty interesting color "as is". Needed a 4x5 break anyway, with my butt sore after so much driving.

[Sal Santamaura]

Sorry, Sal. I stumbled on it looking for an update, but it wasn't thru this forum. I've already erased my search history...No problem, I searched and found it. It's the same video. Tuan posted both as a Vimeo file at his blog and at YouTube here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNgGKNUlSgo

[Drew Wiley]

Yeah, that's the one. When I crossed over Tioga Pass they told me the fire was still active (to what extent, I can't say), and visibility was wretched everywhere. I started smelling the smoke the nite before, camped in the aspen near Conway summit. I woke up sneezing. There was also an active fire in the Cathedral Lakes area, then one visible in the middle of the Toiyabe Range in central NV. Otherwise, there was so much smoke approaching the Calif border that it was impossible to tell where it was coming from. Quite a contrast to the rest of Nevada, which had incredible clouds and sparkling clear air everywhere those two days, and me of course pulling off the road for shots frequently. I took the lonely roads and avoided the freeway, and enjoyed nearly every minute of it, esp up in the Ruby Mtns camped one nite.

[Preston]

The Meadow Fire is now 98% contained. A small crew is managing the remaining hotspots and continuing to work on the remaining areas to be contained. The fire was started by lightning on July 19. Minor smoke is still being produced, but effects are minimal. Parts of Little Yosemite a re still closed, but the Little Yosemite Campground and the trail to Half Dome are open.

The King Fire in Eldorado County (American River Canyon) is actively burning to the North-East. It is 38% contained and over 7,600 firefighters are currently assigned. Current acreage is 92,960 Ac. It was caused by arson. The suspect in custody. There is no estimated date for containment. Smoke has caused poor air quality in the Tahoe/Reno region for the past several days. The King Fire is currently the highest priority fire in the US.

More info at Inciweb (http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/state/5/) for both fires.

--P

[tgtaylor]

If you plan on hiking the JMT this year (there's still time!), NOBO would be the best choice at this time because all trails from the Valley to Tuolumne Meadows are closed because of the fire but the may be open by the time that you reach TM. See the closure map on page 2: http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/upload/meadowfireclosure09192014.pdf

Thomas

[tgtaylor]

The first snowfall of the season in the high country occurred last night with more on the way!

Thomas

[Jmarmck]

If it keeps it up, a road trip may be in the offing this coming winter.

[Drew Wiley]

Early snowfalls are a poor indicator of what might happen later in the season.