Southern Yosemite Climbing Discussions

Southern Yosemite Categories => General Discussion => Topic started by: John on July 28, 2014, 11:07:16 am

Title: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on July 28, 2014, 11:07:16 am
There is fire down in the San Joaquin canyon we saw east of Fish Creek Campground and Rock Creek Campground. It just started last night. On the west side of the canyon and looks like hard terrain to get into.

Yikes!
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4013/ (http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4013/)
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: NateD on July 28, 2014, 11:31:05 pm
Sounds like you spotted it before the Shuteye lookout did.

Not good.   :(
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on July 29, 2014, 09:39:33 am
Sounds like you spotted it before the Shuteye lookout did.

Not good.   :(

We saw it at about 6AM and saw the first fire fighters responding as we were driving towards North Fork. The Fire Station by the orchard wasn't even stirring yet and they were about 15 minutes away.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on July 29, 2014, 09:45:55 am
Fire was growing last I saw on the news.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on July 29, 2014, 09:48:45 am
Doubled in size to 2000 acres overnight!
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on July 29, 2014, 10:24:20 am
does this mean I'm not going to Soyo this weekend?   :'(
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on July 29, 2014, 10:46:53 am

At first we hoped it was a controlled burn, except there were no signs about that and no fire fighting vehicles situated anywhere that we could see. Hardly any fire fighting vehicles heading that way yesterday morning. We could make out that the wide column of smoke originated way off Minarets on the west side of the SJR about halfway between Rock Creek Camp and Fish Camp from deeper in the canyon, but didn't even notice the fire until several minutes past Mile High. At that point it wasn't even 500 acres burned, though. A day later and it's over 4 times grown. Forecast, conditions, fires burning in Yosemite, not enough fire fighting resources... so grim.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on July 29, 2014, 11:19:38 am
anyone for highway 108?  Though the foresta smoke will probably blow that direction anyways.


may sit by the pool again. lol
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: YETI on July 29, 2014, 11:49:35 am
The EL portal fire is bad too.

Man, all the good spots are gonna be ashtrays very soon.

Best of luck to the Cal fire in this desperate time.

Ugghh, it is only august...
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on July 29, 2014, 12:30:16 pm
does this mean I'm not going to Soyo this weekend?   :'(
You can still get down Beasore and apparently Grizzly Rd since it is closed at its southern end near Soda Springs CG. That leaves the Balls and even a long drive to the formations deeper down Minarets Rd are possible for now. Most of the ridge is still accessible minus the Eagles and Chiquito.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mike a on July 29, 2014, 03:38:39 pm
thanks a ton for the up dates john, i hope my beloved shuteye wiil be spared and the fire will be controlled soon!!!, i am stressing big time :-(
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on July 29, 2014, 03:57:05 pm
Mike, if you go up midweek, any smoke updates would be very much appreciated!
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on July 29, 2014, 04:23:41 pm
I know Mike, me too.... I'm stressing big time. It's awful.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mike a on July 29, 2014, 05:39:40 pm
hi rob, grahm this morning said super duper smokey in oakyhurst, that was his last up on his facebook report on the fire, and he said the fire jumped the road by the mile high over look and is heading up to the eagle beaks, grahm said he will give more info when he hears more news.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on July 29, 2014, 07:13:31 pm
thanks a bunch for the update!

Yeah, that's not good for any of us if it's jumped the road!  That's pretty much a straight shot up to the beaks if I recall correctly.

Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on July 29, 2014, 08:26:24 pm
Yeah, thanks Mike. That sucks if it makes it above the road. They had a controlled burn last year but I remember it was below the current fire closer to the Pumphouse turnoff so it probably won't help on this one. This is really depressing.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on July 29, 2014, 08:34:18 pm
This is very scarey news. Sickening. 

Yes - thank you for keeping us posted.

Gonna watch the movie Noah now.

Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on July 30, 2014, 01:51:03 am
http://www.sierranewsonline.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=3983%3Afrench-fire-at-3-600-acres&Itemid=468
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: daniel banquo merrick on July 30, 2014, 06:02:06 am
Quote
the fire jumped the road by the mile high over look and is heading up to the eagle beaks

That's bad news.

Grizzly road is closed.

Zero containment.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on July 30, 2014, 06:57:11 am
It looks like the fire has jumped the road and is heading up Shuteye Ridge. It is even burning down on the other side of Mammoth Pools where the Aspen Fire was burning last year.

I found a fire sensing satellite page for downloading to Google Earth but I don't know how accurate it is.
http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/googleearth.php (http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/googleearth.php)

Looks like this:

(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g388/jhgodar/Fire_zps0c987c70.jpg)
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: NateD on July 30, 2014, 10:58:17 am
 :( :'(

Did they figure out how the Aspen fire started way down there last year? Mysterious location for a fire to start. Pot farms?? Power lines?
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on July 30, 2014, 11:10:05 am
Aspen was from lightning.

I bet this fire is from someone camping down the Rock Creek Rd. The only other thing down there is a mine but it looks out of commission last time we were there.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on July 30, 2014, 12:23:22 pm
Recent article on the fire and a good map:

http://www.sierranewsonline.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=3984:french-fire-gains-2-000-acres-overnight&Itemid=468 (http://www.sierranewsonline.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=3984:french-fire-gains-2-000-acres-overnight&Itemid=468)

(http://www.sierranewsonline.com/images/stories/Fires/French_Fire_7-28-14/French_Fire_closeup_map_7-30-14.jpg)

Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on July 30, 2014, 03:12:01 pm
They have evacuated and closed down much of the Southern Yosemite area. Only Beasore Rd and the extreme end of Minarets Rd is open. Not a good sign.

(http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/photos/CASNF/2014-07-28-1307-French-Fire/picts/2014_07_30-16.49.49.294-CDT.jpeg)
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on July 30, 2014, 03:39:41 pm
sooooo depressed 

The area is never going to be the same in our lifetimes.


Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on July 31, 2014, 08:02:07 am
It is 10% contained but that appears to be on the Eastern flank, close to the river where the Aspen Fire ended. Doesn't look like much left to burn over there. Over 1000 people fighting it! Wow.

Hope for the best today.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on July 31, 2014, 08:54:37 am
7k acreage, wow
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: donutnational on July 31, 2014, 10:10:45 am
I came here looking for smoke reports and  I thought I'd add my smoke report from yesterday afternoon (7/30/14).  We went up Central Camp Road to the shut eye jeep trail  turnoff to do some shuttle bike riding and bouldering.  No one was out there and there was no indication that the road or jeep trail were closed.  Went up around 3 pm and the smoke became almost tolerable the higher you got.  Smoke was hideous coming through Auberry to North Fork but not as bad at bass lake.  I'm  guessing it's worse in the am.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: donutnational on July 31, 2014, 10:21:25 am

Forest closure order includes shuteye look out. http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3810863.pdf
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on July 31, 2014, 11:09:13 am
Donutnational - glad to see you post here. Thanks for posting that up. 

Helps give some perspective, though, 7000 acres in only a few days is bleak especially facing hot gusty weather. Damn westerly winds.

Maybe that fire was started by campers Saturday night/Sunday morning as it was looking out of hand by 6:am Monday when first reported. If so, this could be the 5th instead of 3rd day of damage. But even with a little help from some rain, which probably also brought some more logistical issues, that's a lot more acreage consumed.

googled 7000 acres and came up with about 11 square miles


Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on July 31, 2014, 11:18:08 am
Thanks so much for the update. It is a hard call as to where to go this weekend with smoke all over the Sierras.

We just feel so helpless about the fire. I wish we could do something.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on August 01, 2014, 08:53:05 am
New stats out this morning:

Current Situation
Total Personnel   1,422
Size   8,207 Acres
Percent of Perimeter Contained   15%
Fuels Involved   

Timber with some brushy areas
Significant Events   

12 campgrounds have been closed.


For comparison sake, when the Aspen Fire was finally out it only had something like 800 people fighting it and the total acreage burnt was approx 22000 acres. It burned for 19 days and started within the same week in July of 2013 that the French Fire did.


I am really happy to see so many firefighters involved and hope they all come home safe.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on August 01, 2014, 09:13:29 am
This site is freaking me out. What the hell do all of the dots mean!!??

http://wildlandfire.maps.arcgis.com/apps/PublicInformation/index.html?appid=2e59e00f5b164606adcd6e00ac250e9c (http://wildlandfire.maps.arcgis.com/apps/PublicInformation/index.html?appid=2e59e00f5b164606adcd6e00ac250e9c)
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 01, 2014, 09:30:26 am
Hot spots, bleeding edge of fire
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: jeff on August 01, 2014, 11:05:26 am
information on fire locations using thermal images collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite.  The MODIS instrument images the entire surface of the Earth every two days (daily in northern latitudes), making observations in 36 co-registered spectral bands at moderate spatial resolutions (250, 500, and 1000 meters). Thermal information is collected at 1000-meter spatial resolution. The collected thermal information is converted to ellipse-shaped vector polygons. These collections are processed through the MODLand Rapid Response System using the algorithm described by the MOD14 Users Guide. The thermal MODIS data is shown by the color of the symbol on the map. This thermal data is collected twice a day, at 2:00 PM EST and again at 12:00 AM EST and are then processed and merged into a single map, which is available by 3:00 AM EST.


Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 01, 2014, 11:10:16 am
yowzer, that's detailed!


I always wondered if it could pick up isolated campfires.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on August 03, 2014, 08:04:31 pm
The Madera Co Sheriffs Dept found that the French Fire started from a log extending out of a fire pit into needles, like a time-delay fuse. The photos look just like the road right outside of the mine.

http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4013/ (http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4013/)
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: NateD on August 03, 2014, 08:11:45 pm
Don't know how the fight has progressed today, but here is an interesting map of the plans in a report from this morning. Interesting to potentially dozer over the top of Shuteye Pass and down the old trail running behind Fallen Eagle.

Inserting the link rather than embedding due to the large size.
http://www.goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/images/2014/august/IAP-French-Fire-832014-lg.jpg

Very disturbing to also hear on Sat. how the fire was carelessly started.

Interested in hearing how smokey it was to those who went this w/e, and where you all might have climbed, considering half the ridge and SoYo was closed, with fines imposed on those entering the closed zones.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on August 03, 2014, 08:22:11 pm
This really sucks.

Thanks for the map, Nate. I can't picture a dozer anywhere near the ridgeline at all. Crazy thought.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 04, 2014, 02:38:37 pm
Quote
Cloud cover helped suppression actions throughout the night, allowing crews and equipment to make good progress in line construction along the northwest perimeter. Today crews will continue building and reinforcing containment lines on the north, west and south perimeters. The east perimeter has burned down to the San Joaquin River. Structure defense continues in the Arnold Meadow area on the northern perimeter.


Holding on tight to the latest report from this morning on inciweb plus a hopeful forecast today with cooling temps this week. Damn miserable otherwise.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: NateD on August 04, 2014, 02:44:42 pm
Did you guys head to SoYo over the w/e? Anyone else?
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 04, 2014, 02:56:41 pm
No, we took Munge up on his invite thankfully, where conditions were a little smoky but tolerable. Do you want to get out there? 
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: NateD on August 04, 2014, 03:07:49 pm
Want, yes! Arranging it is another matter, as always. Maybe in a couple weeks, or three...

And hopefully things will have simmered down by then.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: Dave on August 04, 2014, 10:53:38 pm
Passing on the weekend plans but I Iikely to be up there late Sept. Will certainly be at Hoffman on Sept trip....if anything is left by then.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 04, 2014, 11:46:08 pm
Keep wondering who would have camped there where the fire began and who started it...

One rainy day over a year ago we drove down that road by Rock Creek Camp far as we could, and at the end of it found the old mine. Anyone else here check this area out before? This appears to be the area where the fire began.

The place had the usual pile of shotgun shells littered about. It wasn't what I'd call an ideal place to camp but was fun exploring a bit. Wondered if the mine shaft had become a den... was spooky to me. The views of falls in the creek with steep cliff band had me wondering if anyone comes down there to climb or enjoy the falls right there, though it wasn't especially appealing, or easily accessed that I could tell... I could imagine someone might think it is. The photo of that fire pit looks to be this area where someone could car camp possibly with view of the creek & falls.

 
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: DaveyTree on August 05, 2014, 12:44:18 pm
Even though fire is healthy for the forest, it sucks to know a lot of beauty will be lost.

On another note, we may have new dirt roads in the end to find new jewels we missed before or some great camping spots created by the fire crews. We may get more elder berries out of it in the long run.....Think Positive.

What is this about Hoffman!? When?
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 05, 2014, 01:13:48 pm
Thanks DaveyTree. It would be a huge loss... we all treasure those forests, and the fire's aftermath will create new access issues and hazards. But you are right that with most change comes opportunity of some sort. And fire is otherwise considered healthy to prevent massive forest fire devastation.

Holding tight to the idea that the line through the pass will keep the fire from sweeping through the ridge.



Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 05, 2014, 04:15:43 pm
Quote
barriers put in place to discourage future use as jeep or OHV trails.


grrr
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 05, 2014, 07:27:31 pm
why is it that I can't get the modis thermal spots to show up anymore when I refresh the ArcGIS site? are they not doing those readings?
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 05, 2014, 08:25:08 pm
Ok there's hope. Sixty percent contained. But it doesn't look like they updated the inciweb fire outline for today yet.

The bulldozed line runs up the ridge supposedly right behind this beautiful formation.

(http://i745.photobucket.com/albums/xx99/susangodar/amen.jpg) (http://s745.photobucket.com/user/susangodar/media/amen.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 06, 2014, 12:21:41 pm
FYI - DaveyTree, seems there is not a set Hoffman Plan just rumblings, unless there's something I don't know about... which is entirely possible since we said we couldn't make it for dates proposed a while back...
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 06, 2014, 12:30:34 pm
oh yeah, I think there may be a couple of Hoffman weekends being rumbled about. I've been lagging on the comms. sorry. Will try and get on the ball soon here.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on August 06, 2014, 01:26:10 pm
From the Inciweb site:

Quote
Estimated Containment Date-Tuesday August 12th, 2014 approx. 06:00 PM

Pretty precise estimation for something like a fire!!! Good news though!!
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: YETI on August 06, 2014, 02:10:35 pm
wow, that is a 2 week fire.

awesome
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 07, 2014, 03:20:22 pm
Quote
The interior parts of the fire continue to cool, but some areas may still produce smoke for several more days.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 07, 2014, 04:12:48 pm
Interesting article on last year's Rim Fire:
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/http%3A//www.sfgate.com/news/article/Bow-hunter-charged-in-historic-Yosemite-wildfire-5675072.php#photo-5078928 (http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/http%3A//www.sfgate.com/news/article/Bow-hunter-charged-in-historic-Yosemite-wildfire-5675072.php#photo-5078928)

And shot by Stuart Palley / EPA from this year's El Portal fire:
(http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/setageus/la-me-el-portal-fire-credit.jpg)
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 07, 2014, 05:46:48 pm
http://www.sierranewsonline.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4045%3Aphotos-of-campgrounds-after-french-fire&Itemid=468


(http://www.sierranewsonline.com/images/stories/Fires/French_Fire_7-28-14/Campgrounds_after_French_Fire_8-6-14/Mile_High_Vista_After_French_Fire_1_-_photo_by_Dirk_Charley.jpg)
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on August 07, 2014, 07:25:53 pm
Wow. Rock Creek CG looks pretty darned normal in those photos. There's hope!
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 07, 2014, 11:05:53 pm
It's really good to see some hope from those photos! Rock Creek camp looks amazing. Mile High not so much. Can't wait to see for ourselves. Having acute homesickness pangs for the closed areas.

Love the light cast in these trees in the photo...
(http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/setageus/trees.jpg)
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 08, 2014, 11:02:02 am
Quote
The interior parts of the fire continue to cool, but some areas may still produce smoke for several more days

smoke vs. bad forecasts

bah
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on August 08, 2014, 11:12:16 am
Smoke doesn't affect climbing or produce lightning. Duh.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 08, 2014, 11:15:54 am
but it does fuk with my breathing.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on August 08, 2014, 11:40:19 am
but it does fuk with my breathing.


What, lightning? Double duh.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 08, 2014, 11:41:47 am
zactly!
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mike a on August 11, 2014, 09:43:22 am
morning, the french fire is 100% contain, and yesterday oakhurst was smoke free :-), and all roads are going to be reopened sometime this week, from fresno dome all looked good this weekend, happy climbing mike a.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 11, 2014, 03:03:19 pm
Yeah!!!

Copped an eye full for ourselves this weekend. Looking from northeast of the ridge, though couldn't see the areas up close to really tell where the fire did its damage, we were encouraged that there was hardly any smoke at all and that the ridge and hopefully many of its views look unaffected. Won't know for sure til we can get back to Minarets or from points atop of the ridge, but so far so good!





Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 14, 2014, 12:19:25 am
Ricky D posting on the taco... posted Aug 13, 2014 - 09:56pm PT

Quote
Closed signs came down tonight on Grizzly Road at the Beasore Meadows turnoff. You should be good to go from the Bass Lake side. Not sure if Jone's Store is back up and running.

 Still waiting for a current report from the Minarets side - but since even Mile High got nuked - it may be a while from that direction.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on August 14, 2014, 09:51:21 am
Thanks Munge.

I am so curious about how Minarets and Mile High will look now.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 18, 2014, 06:07:14 pm
Is road 426 the one that goes up to SE?

Oakhurst fire has evacuations.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 18, 2014, 09:49:05 pm
googled it
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Road+426,+Oakhurst,+CA/@37.3141581,-119.6002388,13z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x809427da722bcd8f:0xbff0bc480bf6dbe5 (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Road+426,+Oakhurst,+CA/@37.3141581,-119.6002388,13z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x809427da722bcd8f:0xbff0bc480bf6dbe5)

Appears to be partly in town and around vacation homes extending to Bass Lake?
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: jeff on August 18, 2014, 10:09:06 pm
My parents live exactly in the middle of that map on the bigger of the 2 ponds in the middle there. They are on stand by to evacuate. Yikes.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 18, 2014, 10:17:38 pm
Oh, jeesh. Hoping things stay safe for them.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 19, 2014, 11:04:52 am
Jeff, Sorry to hear it! Any updates?

Sounds way out of control. State of Emergency. Hope there are lots more reinforcements right away seeing how much fuel there is especially by town, close to so many businesses and homes, Yosemite, and the other portal to Soyo... Feel badly for site members and other local acquaintances affected. Hope your homes and businesses are spared.

http://abc30.com/news/junction-fire-in-oakhurst-threatens-500-structures/269329/ (http://abc30.com/news/junction-fire-in-oakhurst-threatens-500-structures/269329/)


Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mike a on August 19, 2014, 11:45:09 am
hi all, grahm posted a hour or so ago, he is still ok and has not had to evac yet, he said if the fire does not jump 222 road today they may get the upper hand today, my fingers are crossed and super hopeful they get a handle on this today, the fire craw a couple weeks ago did such an awesome and fast job on the french fire, i am hoping this will be the case as well!!! i wish oakhusrt was getting the wet weather today like in la honda!!!
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 19, 2014, 12:01:21 pm
That's good to hear. Yeah, hopefully the humidity is across the state and helps the fire control effort a little bit.

Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 19, 2014, 12:05:27 pm
Yes, hoping for the best today! Good thoughts and prayers for Grahm. Thanks for that update, Mike A.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: NateD on August 19, 2014, 04:04:46 pm
Yikes! My inlaws live up the road a couple miles from Grahm on 426, so glad to hear it hasn't jumped 222.
SO stressful...
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 19, 2014, 04:30:51 pm
Quote
**Highway 41 through ‪#‎Oakhurst‬ is now open in both directions. Residents and business owners are now allowed to return. Road 620 and Road 222 are still closed. ‪#‎JunctionFire‬**

From Sierra News online FB page.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 19, 2014, 05:15:18 pm
Scarey Nate, I was wondering about that. Hope they are ok. Any word from them?
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: NateD on August 19, 2014, 05:48:38 pm
Susan,
No evacuations in their neck of the woods, but they are of course worried.

Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 21, 2014, 09:38:23 pm
I'm pretty sure ya'll have been watching, but 90% contained.

http://www.sierranewsonline.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4110%3Ajunction-fire-update-9pm-thursday&Itemid=467
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on August 22, 2014, 10:02:19 am
Does anyone know if Minarets is open? The Inciweb site and the USFS site hasn't been updated in 6 days and they both say closed. Maybe they have bigger problems with the Junction Fire.

Would really appreciate any updates.Thanks.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: NateD on August 22, 2014, 11:06:44 am
You could call the North Fork Rangers Station.
(559) 877-2218

Leo's wife works there, unless she's coordinating fire fighters elsewhere in the state, so I can inquire with him if you like.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on August 24, 2014, 10:32:17 am
The FS has reduced the size of the perimeter of what is closed from the fire but much is still closed. Most of Shuteye Ridge is still closed. Road block at Soda Spring CG once you cross to Minarets via Grizzly but you can still take Minarets towards the Balls, Disappearing, etc. from there.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sierra/alerts-notices/?aid=24683 (http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sierra/alerts-notices/?aid=24683)
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: Dingus on August 28, 2014, 01:59:19 pm
Just talked to N Fork ranger station and confirmed Shuteye Ridge, the lookout and 6s59 are all in the closure area and none of that will reopen for Labor Day weekend.

They are trying to reopen Minarets Highway today or tomorrow, so as to get Soda Springs camp ground reopened for the weekend.

Looks like Shuteye is not in the cards for me this weekend either.

Question: Is Fresno Dome accessible right now?

2nd Question: Is there anything worth doing on Squaw Dome?

3rd question: SHould I just go to SPH instead?

DMT
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 28, 2014, 02:26:13 pm
Dingus, talked to Mrs. Munge last night. We're heading up soyo. Will ping with details. Will call Angus tonight too.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: Dingus on August 28, 2014, 03:14:35 pm
PM sent. Angus has Barbie on Saturday, talk his ass into Sunday!
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: daniel banquo merrick on August 28, 2014, 06:09:46 pm
I wish I could go up to Soyo. Climbing at Balls is always good by me. Unfortunately, my 88 year old dad is in the hospital up in Sacramento so all my spare time lately is spent driving up there. He is getting better and we hope to get him discharged before too long. I'm looking forward to getting away for some weekends in September.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on August 28, 2014, 06:11:54 pm
Next time Dan!

Best of luck with your dad.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on August 29, 2014, 09:56:56 am
Hope your dad keeps getting better fast Dan.

Thanks for the report on the fire update, Dingus.If opening up Minarets, wonder how the closure will be managed with all the forest service roads leading into the offlimits area and sure dont look forward to likely finding key roads blocked. Sounds like it could be a very long closure at this rate.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on September 01, 2014, 12:19:56 pm
Minarets was open today.

Lots of utility trucks. They are stringing the power lines.

Surprised to see a fair bit of green compared to the rim fire.


Forgot to mention... almost every side road from Ross Creek to Chiquito had closure signs. The Mile High Vista in particular was a bit of surprise since it didn't look bad from prior pics I had seen.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on September 01, 2014, 05:43:40 pm
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5587/15112056585_1bbe2fe84e_c.jpg)
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on September 06, 2014, 10:44:05 pm
http://www.sierranewsonline.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4192%3Afirefighters-quickly-handle-north-fork-blaze&Itemid=468


WTF? a Third, or is that 4th fire in a week and a half?
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on September 08, 2014, 01:28:10 pm
Man the drive through the fire zone was the most depressing trip to Shuteye ever. The place is decimated and still burning in many places. Most of the dirt roads off of Minarets on the South end of Shuteye are still closed up to the Shuteye Pass Trail Road (Gray Road).

The Dozer Line they were proposing to fight the French fire was actually cut through the Shuteye Pass Trail! They have since "restored" the line the best they possibly can considering it was about a 20' wide road cut all the way up to the pass. I can't imagine what it looks like on the West side since the terrain is way steeper and complex over there. Can't possibly be pretty but still seems like a necessary sacrifice.

I understood that they were going to cut the road from both sides at the same time at meet somewhere in the middle and fight the fire from there. Makes sense since the fire would be heading downhill for a ways to get to the pass and therefore a little slower-moving. They did clean up and widened the Gray Road all the way to SPT Trailhead for the heavy equipment to get through.

Hard to tell how much will return next year in the spring. It looks grim right now with all of the ash everywhere.

A huge thanks out to all of the 1800+ people that fought the fire.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on September 09, 2014, 02:00:33 pm
(http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/setageus/P1100827.jpg)
Meet the new Shuteye Pass Trail


(http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/setageus/P1100834.jpg)
The rut mended and expanded Gray Road - just to the point from the paved road of the Shuteye Pass Trail

(http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/setageus/P1100840.jpg)
& one of many of the fires still burning just off Minarets
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on September 09, 2014, 02:04:30 pm
Many cheers to the fire fighters - the views from the usual areas around Gray area are still pristine! Looking forward to a good rain some day soon I hope, that would put out the remaining fires. 
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: DaveyTree on September 09, 2014, 06:24:38 pm
Looks like a moon scape
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: NateD on September 09, 2014, 09:50:49 pm
Looks like gone are the days where I could barely follow that obscure and overgrown Pass Trail from the east. I had a good time on that hike though, about 15 years ago now, admiring the boulders and the views along the way.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on September 11, 2014, 10:49:31 am
Looks like gone are the days where I could barely follow that obscure and overgrown Pass Trail from the east. I had a good time on that hike though, about 15 years ago now, admiring the boulders and the views along the way.

The funny thing is that previously there was no path to follow from that end of the trail but does (did) get a tiny bit more marked higher up. There is a new trailhead sign that showed up this year or maybe last but the start was really unclear. Not hard to follow now..but you have to hurdle all of the trees they laid down across the former road to hide it.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mike a on September 14, 2014, 04:09:44 pm
looks like another fire in the bass lake area :-(, i will see whats up tomorrow there!
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on September 15, 2014, 09:33:17 am
What the hell is going on this year?! Can't even put one out before another is popping up behind you!
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: NateD on September 15, 2014, 11:07:43 am
The Courtney Fire is apparently still burning. Started just down the hill from my inlaws house. My wife was on the phone with them when they noticed the flames. The frantically packed the cars with suitcases prepacked for just this type of emergency and got out just as the fire was sweeping around their house. They were outside when the pink retardant rained down on them from the sky - which they said felt great as it was cool and the surrounding fire was so incredibly hot.

They were able to get back to their house with a sheriff late last night to grab a few things, and were so glad that due to all the fire guarding work done around the house for the past few years - cutting back brush and trees and surrounding the house with gravel - their house was spared. As it was dark, they don't know if their propane tank blew, but could hear many explosions, sometimes super dry ponderosas, during the fire storm (and we could hear them as well when we were on the phone with them - sounded like a war zone). At least 10 homes just up the road did not fair so well. Haven't checked the reports this morning to see if any more structures were hit. Bruce, Grahm, and others further down the road were likely out of the path of the fire and are hopefully OK. Hoping the best for all affected!
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: NateD on September 15, 2014, 11:27:59 am
Good video of the planes fighting the fire along the ridgetop, as it jumped 426 and descended to Bass Lake. My inlaws home is right in the middle of all of that smoke.
http://vimeo.com/user11165303/review/106178808/aeb6e7b9ec
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on September 15, 2014, 12:14:13 pm
Woah, your inlaws got hit by the retardant? Talk about being right in the middle of the warzone! Glad they are OK and hope the best for everyone else.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on September 15, 2014, 06:29:18 pm
Wow Nate, that video is quite something - great to see a plane large enough to drop enough fire retardant to make a difference. Scarey the perspective that makes the two planes appear so close to each other. Again, as mentioned elsewhere, so sorry about your in-laws situation. Great hearing how they were prepared!
 
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: DaveyTree on September 15, 2014, 07:31:33 pm
I was up in Tuolumne over the weekend. Fire was still going behind half dome. On top of Cathedral I could see a small fire north between Cathedral and 120 (I think it's called the Meadow Fire) and another small north of 120 but to the east a bit.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on September 15, 2014, 07:35:28 pm
How was the smoke situation up in the meadows?
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: DaveyTree on September 15, 2014, 08:17:16 pm
Friday night you definitly knew therer was a fire in the area and the first half hour into Cathedral. After the breeze picked up it cleared out quick and was clear through when we left Sunday.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on September 17, 2014, 10:02:22 am
(http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/setageus/P1100987.jpg)

View of Bass Lake Fire last Sunday from near Friant Dam area
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on September 18, 2014, 08:10:50 am
O man the king fire now. Can hardly wait for winter at this rate.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on September 18, 2014, 11:43:37 am
And now just learned of a fire in June when checking in with Jeff and Mony. They are ok at this moment, but the fire is still very threatening. Hoping for the best! Let us know if we can help!
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on September 24, 2014, 11:26:44 pm
Stoked! Three cheers for rain!
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on October 03, 2014, 09:06:39 am
btw, they found a suspect for one or two of the fires near Oakhurst.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on October 03, 2014, 09:14:39 am
Really? I never heard it was arson. Burn him at the stake.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on October 03, 2014, 09:20:55 am
http://www.sierranewsonline.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4350:juvenile-arrested-in-string-of-suspected-arson-fires&Itemid=467
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: susan on October 03, 2014, 11:35:02 am
Quote
Burn him at the stake.
No no, if fire is his thing, that might please him. And so young, I respect the fact they don't release his name. But so curious what he looks like. Facebooked the fellow who started the King's fire, for instance. Someone had begun a false FB page based on his mugshot.

Anyway, hopefully they found the culprit and that there wasn't anyone else in cahoots.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on October 27, 2014, 09:24:05 am
Anyone else still seeing smoldering fires existing from the French Fire? Saw one friday night right off the road and then the top of an already burnt tree was smoking like a chimney. We have seen them every weekend we have been out there since they re-opened Minarets. Weird.

I didn't think they can still be burning. There has been rain too. The good news is there isn't much left to burn around where we have seen this.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: John on November 03, 2014, 04:25:58 pm
Fire ban lifted for Sierra NF on the 31st.

Actually saw smoldering remnants from the French Fire yesterday and it was even surrounded by snow.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: NateD on November 03, 2014, 05:41:44 pm
How much of a dusting was there up there? Have a pic or two to share?

Way to get after it despite the weather.
Title: Re: Fire Season 2014
Post by: mungeclimber on November 03, 2014, 06:51:11 pm
I wouldn't call it a dusting. Saturday left 6" of light pow on the ground at the 6k level. Will post conditions pics after a bit here. Just got home.