Chimney Peak Fire Update

June 2 9:00 a.m.

Went down Kenndey Meadows Road about 13 miles and was met by the Sherif's Dept.

My discussion with Deputy:

Kennedy Meadows Road Status

1) Kennedy  Meadows Road is still closed.
2) Expect it to open today.  No idea when.  Primary reason for being closed is Fire Fighter safety as there is a lot of equipment and personnel on the road.
3) If there is a ROAD CLOSED sign at bottom of 9 Mile...DO NOT Drive up.  The Deputy said he's written several tickets to individuals who ignored the sign and came up.

Fire Status and Rumors (not given by any official statement)

1) Fire is under control but a lot of work being done to prevent a flare up, still very dangerous fire.
2) Fire rumored to have started at Chimney Peak Campground...meaning "man" or "PCTer" caused.

The following picture is looking primarily west.  Chimney Peak Campground is way back and further to the left.  Note the current fire line on the mountain...gray vs green or dark.  Fire also went up the valley to the left (not seen in picture) and crossed KM Road. The Hot Shot said they need to stop it where it is at.

From Kennedy Meadows Road

 I had a lengthy discussion with a "Hot Shot" who was spotting and learned about how they fight fires, train, call in tankers etc. which I will write further about in a future post.

What Does This Fire Season Look Like?
Lastly, I asked him how he thought this year might be for fires versus the last couple of years, thinking that with our increased winter precipitation, it'd be much better. Much to my surprise he said, "Worse!"  The reason is:
 We need two or more years of wet winter and springs to get the "heavy" forest fuel less combustible.  With only one wetter  year it will start fairly quickly.  The kicker is that with all or our precipitation there will be an overabundance of "light" fuel (grasses and the like) which is beginning to dry out.  It takes almost nothing to get this fuel going to set off the heavy fuel.  So our wet winter is a double edged sword.

We must all be careful.

Chimney Peak Fire, (as viewed from Kennedy Meadows)

June 1, 2016, 3:57 p.m.

I looked up from my mountain perch and did not like what I saw!!!!!  

FIRE in the Distance!!!

Photos look southeast over Kennedy Meadows (Ducor and Grumpy Bears in center, slightly left).

3:52 pm 6/1/2016

A quick telephone call and I learned that the fire is ten or so miles down Kennedy Meadows Road, near the Chimney Peak Ranger Station on the west side of the road. (I was later to learn that the fire eventually jumped Kennedy Meadows Road.)

Arrrgh! Cell phone battery dies and no charger!!  I watch for a while then decide to go charge phone and return with phone and charger.

6:01 p.m., June 1 2016

6:03 p.m. June 1 2016

 About 6:20 p.m. we hear the whine of a siren coming down 5 Mile Road. From our perch, we eventually see two green Forest Service fire engines screaming down Kennedy Meadows Road.

6:25 p.m., June 1, 2016

At about 6:25 we hear the rumbling of a prop plane off to our rear and right.  To the west we see a big blue tail (and assume) it is a fire fighting tanker lumbering on.  It is flying south and as it goes beyond the distant ridge it banks left and heads directly towards the fire. It descends and it soon disappears from our sight.  

About five minutes later, two small four-engine jets with red tails follow the same path.  A quick Google search. Google photos suggest these two slow moving jets are also most likely tankers for fire fighting. 

6:43 p.m, June 1, 2016

7:37 p.m. June 1 2016

For the last thirty minutes or more we cannot see any more billowing smoke with it just hanging almost static. We are now assuming things at the scene are probably getting under control.  The scene doesn't change much as darkness overcomes the landscape.

June 2, Pre-Dawn

I awoke before light and as the dawn was coming into full bloom I hiked up to yesterday's vantage point and was pleased to see completely clear skies with no signs of smoke.

June 2, 2016; dawn 6:03 a.m.

A trip down Kennedy Meadow Road today will be in order.