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).
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| 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.
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| 6:01 p.m., June 1 2016 |
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 6:43 p.m, June 1, 2016 |
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| 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.
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| June 2, 2016; dawn 6:03 a.m. |
A trip down Kennedy Meadow Road today will be in order.
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