Date: June 9, 2017
Contact: Mike Theune, 559-565-3703
SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. June 9, 2017 – Immediately after completing the test burn in the first segment of the Ash Mountain Prescribed Burn on June 7, 2017, firefighters from the National Park Service ceased operations due to the start of a wildfire outside of the parks in the community of Three Rivers and responded to assist.
With cooler weather and ideal conditions forecast, firefighters are scheduled to restart the Ash Mountain Prescribed Burn this Sunday morning, June 11, adjacent to the parks’ headquarters. These prescribed burn treatments reduce fuel loads and increase defensible space and thereby protect infrastructure and visitor safety in one of the hottest and driest areas of the parks.
“The recent fire in Three Rivers demonstrates the importance of defensible space in the parks and foothill communities,” said Todd Bates, parks fuels management specialist “A community that has adapted to wildfire is a better protected community.”
The prescribed burn is scheduled to last through early next week. The Ash Mountain Prescribed Burn consists of 12 segments, for a total of approximately 40 acres. Of these, approximately 26 acres are expected to be treated with prescribed burning, with the remainder treated mechanically.
Visitors may see smoke, active fire, and firefighters during the burn, and are asked to drive slowly and carefully as they enter the park. Smoke impacts are expected to be minimal, as the unit is largely composed of fine fuels that will be consumed quickly. Visitors can learn more about air quality and smoke by visiting either www.airnow.gov or www.valleyair.org. For current information on fire in the parks, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/unit/797/.
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About Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks’ Fire Management Program
For over forty years, our mission has been to use the full range of options and strategies available to manage fire in the parks. This includes protecting park resources, employees, and the public from unwanted fire; building and maintaining fire resilient ecosystems; reducing the threat to local communities from wildfires emanating from the parks or adjacent lands; and recruiting, training, and retaining a professional fire management workforce.
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