Date: November 10, 2016
Contact: Mike Theune, 559-565-3703
Contact: Rebecca Paterson, 559-565-3129
SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. November 10, 2016 – Following a successful test burn this morning, and a determination by the burn boss and fire management staff, the Deadwood Prescribed Burn has started in Sequoia National Park. Ignitions will continue for four to five days, including two to four days of aerial ignitions.
This 278-acre is part of a long-term, concerted effort to ensure the safety of residents and visitors frequenting Silver City and Mineral King. It is important to note that it takes more than just one prescribed fire to eliminate unnatural forest conditions.
The burn unit is located north of the East Fork of the Kaweah River, east of the 2008 Davenport prescribed burn, south of Atwell Mill Campground and the Mineral King Road, and west of Cabin Cove and the Kaweah Han inholding. The Atwell - Hockett Meadow Trail will be closed during ignition and burn down.
Smoke can be expected in the Mineral King Valley during daytime hours. This includes impacts to the Cabin Cove and Silver City areas. Based on updated forecasting, the town of Three Rivers may experience light to moderate nighttime smoke impacts. For information about air quality in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks visit go.nps.gov/sekiair. For regional information about air quality visit www.valleyair.org.
For additional information, updates, and photos from the Deadwood Prescribed Burn, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5086/.
-NPS-
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.
