Release for Tuesday, July 30, 2013/Time: 7:00 PM
Incident Statics
Acres Burned: 14,147 Structures Threatened: 3
Containment: 30% Structures Damaged: 0
Fire Start Date: July 22, 2013 Injuries: 2
Fire Cause: Lightning Total Personnel: 1792
Cost to date: $10.6 million
Summary
The Fire is located within the Sierra National Forest in Fresno County and is approximately seven miles North of Big Creek. It is currently burning off Stump Springs Road, North of Aspen Springs. The South Central Sierra Interagency Incident Management Team is in command of the Aspen Fire.
- The inversion layer continues to cause smoke to accumulate in the low laying areas of the fire which hampers visibility of firefighters on the ground and in the air. As the smoke clears in the early afternoon, a more defined smoke column(s) may be seen from several miles away. As the evening progresses, the inversion returns causing the smoke to return into the lower levels.
- Recreation and businesses remain open in the Shaver Lake, Huntington Lake, Lake Thomas Edison, Florence Lake and the Mono Hot Springs areas.
Fire Update
- Firefighter and public safety remains the highest priority. Fire crews are being sensitive to environmental and cultural resources in and around the fire area.
- Today, the fire burned actively along the northern, eastern and southeastern perimeter of the fire. Fire crews made good progress with indirect attack operations, but access and fire behavior are still a major safety concern for fire crews. Fixed wing aircraft, including the Very Large Aircraft (VLAT) DC-10 were utilized to pretreat perimeter to keep the fire out of the Kaiser Wilderness.
- Due to the extremely steep, rugged and inaccessible terrain, fire crews are using a tactic called indirect attack which creates control lines away from the fires active edge. Air resources, including several helicopters and air tankers are being utilized along the fire-line to slow the forward progress of the fire and to cool down hot spots. As the situation changes and firefighters can safely gain access to the fire, a more direct attack will be implemented.
- Smoke from the Aspen Fire continues to impact air quality in local communities. Individuals sensitive to smoke are advised to remain indoors and keep windows closed to minimize exposure to smoke. For more information regarding smoke visit: www.valleyair.org
Road and Trail Closures
Roads:
Stump Springs Road is closed to all traffic due to fire suppression activity. Minarets Road (4S81) from Fish Creek to Jackass Rock Organization Campground, Grizzly at Beasore Road to Minarets Road are closed to the public. Residents within the road closure are allowed into the area with valid identification.
Trails:
Per the U.S. Forest Service Closure Order Number 15-13-09, all trails within the Kaiser Wilderness are closed.
Closures
Campground closures within the Sierra National Forest are as follows:
Sample Meadow West Kaiser
Jackass Rock Organization Lower Chiquito
Little Jackass Soda Springs
Placer Sweet Water
China Bar Rock Creek
Mammoth Pool Wagners Mammoth Pool Resort
Fish Creek
The following campgrounds are closed to house firefighters for suppression efforts:
Midge Creek, Badger Flat and Rancheria.
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Release for Monday, July 30, 2013/Time: 7:00 AM
Incident Statics
Acres Burned: 14,147 Structures Threatened: 3
Containment: 25% Structures Damaged: 0
Fire Start Date: July 22, 2013 Injuries: 2
Fire Cause: Lightning Total Personnel: 1,672
Cost to date: $7.8 million
Summary
The Fire is located within the Sierra National Forest in Fresno County and is approximately seven miles North of Big Creek. It is currently burning off Stump Springs Road, North of Aspen Springs. The South Central Sierra Interagency Incident Management Team is in command of the Aspen Fire.
- Over the past several days, the inversion layer has caused smoke to accumulate in the low laying areas of the fire which hampers visibility of firefighters on the ground and in the air. As the smoke clears in the early afternoon, a more defined smoke column(s) may be seen from several miles away. As the evening progresses, the inversion returns causing the smoke to return into the lower levels.
- Recreation and businesses remain open in the Shaver Lake, Huntington Lake, Lake Thomas Edison, Florence Lake and the Mono Hot Springs areas.
Fire Update
- Firefighter and public safety remains the highest priority. Fire crews are being sensitive to environmental and cultural resources in and around the fire area.
- Last night, infrared images showed increased growth along the northern, eastern and southeastern perimeter of the fire. Fire crews made good progress with indirect attack operations.
- Due to the extremely steep, rugged and inaccessible terrain, fire crews are using a tactic called indirect attack which creates control lines away from the fires active edge. Air resources, including several helicopters and air tankers are being utilized along the fire-line to slow the forward progress of the fire and to cool down hot spots. As the situation changes and firefighters can safely gain access to the fire, a more direct attack will be implemented.
- Smoke from the Aspen Fire continues to impact air quality in local communities. Individuals sensitive to smoke are advised to remain indoors and keep windows closed to minimize exposure to smoke. For more information regarding smoke visit: www.valleyair.org
Road and Trail Closures
Roads:
Stump Springs Road is closed to all traffic due to fire suppression activity. Minarets Road (4S81) from Fish Creek to Jackass Rock Organization Campground, Grizzly at Beasore Road to Minarets Road are closed to the public. Residents within the road closure are allowed into the area with valid identification.
Trails:
Per the U.S. Forest Service Closure Order Number 15-13-09, all trails within the Kaiser Wilderness are closed.
Closures
Campground closures within the Sierra National Forest are as follows:
Sample Meadow West Kaiser
Jackass Rock Organization Lower Chiquito
Little Jackass Soda Springs
Placer Sweet Water
China Bar Rock Creek
Mammoth Pool Wagners Mammoth Pool Resort
Fish Creek
The following campgrounds are closed to house firefighters for suppression efforts:
Midge Creek, Badger Flat and Rancheria.
Cooperating agencies include
The U.S. Forest Service, National Parks Service, U.S. Department of Defense, National Weather Service, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Fresno County Sheriff, Madera County Sheriff, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Southern California Edison, PG&E, California Conservation Corp.
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Released: 23 hrs. ago
For immediate release 7-29-13
Attn: Local news, weather, health and assignment editors
Northern region – Modesto
Anthony Presto (209) 557-6472
Central region – Fresno
Heather Heinks (559) 230-5898
Southern region – Bakersfield
Jaime Holt (661) 381-1809
Spanish-language contact
Ana Reyes (559) 230-5851
Aspen Fire sends smoke to foothill and mountain areas
Health caution for Merced, Madera, Fresno and Tulare counties
The Aspen Fire burning near Huntington Lake has prompted local air officials to issue a health cautionary statement for smoke impacts in the foothill and mountain areas of Merced, Madera, Fresno and Tulare counties. The caution is in place until the fire is extinguished.
Smoke from fires produces fine-particulate matter (PM2.5), which can cause serious health problems including lung disease, asthma attacks and increased risk of heart attacks and stroke. Where conditions warrant, people with heart or lung disease should follow their doctors’ advice for dealing with episodes of particulate exposure. Additionally, older adults and children should avoid prolonged exposure or heavy exertion, depending on their local conditions.
Residents can check the nearest air monitor to their location to determine localized air-quality conditions. Visit the Real-time Air Advisory Network page on the District’s website to subscribe for free:http://www.valleyair.org/Programs/RAAN/raan_landing.htm. They can also receive updated fire information at: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3552/.
For more information, visit www.valleyair.org or call a District office in Fresno (559-230-6000), Modesto (209-557-6400) or Bakersfield (661-381-1809).
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The Aspen Fire was discovered on Monday, July 22 burning on the Sierra National Forest- High Sierra Ranger District. The fire is burning around Stump Springs Road north of Aspen Springs.
Additional resources continue to arrive, assisting in fire suppression. Sierra National Forest initial suppression efforts, crews were able to keep the fire from burning into the Kaiser Wilderness. Firefighter and public safety remains the highest priority.
The South Central Sierra Interagency Incident Management Team assumed command of the Aspen Fire at 6:00 P.M. July 24, 2013. The team is working with the Sierra National Forest to manage suppression efforts.
Smoke from the Aspen Fire is impacting air quality in local communities. Individuals sensitive to smoke are suggested to remain indoors and keep windows closed, to minimize exposure to smoke.
The fire is in steep, rugged, inaccessible terrain. There is no imminent threat to the communities of Big Creek or Huntington Lake at this time.
For most recent fire information click on the recent articles on the right.
Road and Trail Closures
Roads:
Stump Springs Road is closed to all traffic due to fire suppression activity.
Minarets Road (4S81) from Fish Creek to Jackass Rock Organization Campground, Grizzly at Beasore Road to Minarets Road are closed to the public. Residents within the road closure are allowed into the area with valid identification.
Trails:
Per the U.S. Forest Service Closure Order number 15-13-09, the Kaiser Wilderness is closed.
Evacuations
Additional campground closures went in to affect as a precautionary measure. Campground closures within the Sierra National Forest are as follows:
-Sample Meadow
-West Kaiser
-Jackass Rock Organization
-Lower Chiquito
-Little Jackass
-Soda Springs
-Placer
-Sweet Water
-China Bar
-Rock Creek
-Wagners Mammoth Pool Resort
Campgrounds closed to support firefighting efforts:
-Rancheria
-Badger Flat
-Midge Creek
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Lightning |
| Date of Origin | Monday July 22nd, 2013 approx. 10:15 PM |
| Location | seven miles north of Big Creek |
| Incident Commander | David Cooper |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 1,792 |
|---|---|
| Size | 14,147 acres |
| Percent Contained | 30% |
| Fuels Involved | Timber with mixed chaparral |
| Fire Behavior | Fire continued to be active throughout the north and east sides of the fire. Temperature is increasing and humidity decreasing. |
| Significant Events | The closure of Stump Springs road remains in effect. The Sierra National Forest has issued a Forest Closure Order for the Kaiser Wilderness. A precautionary evacuation of campgrounds west of the San Joaquin River on Forest Road 4S81 are in place. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Continue to build and prepare indirect line on the east side of the fire. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | High |
| Terrain Difficulty | Extreme |
| Remarks | Fire burned actively today. Indirect line preparation for firing operations on the east side of the fire. The Very Large Air Tanker (VLAT)- DC-10 was utilized on the fire yesterday. Crews continue to use direct attack when possible. |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 4-13 mph SW |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 77-88 degrees |
| Humidity | 13-23% |
Source: Inciweb.org
2013 The NW Fire Blog
NW Fire Blog 