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Contact: Mike Theune, 559-565-3703 Contact: Rebecca Paterson, 559-565-3129 SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. October 10, 2016 – Following a successful test burn this morning, and a determination by the burn boss and fire management staff, the Dorst Prescribed Burn has started in Sequoia National Park. Ignitions will continue for two to three days. This 187-acre prescribed burn will reintroduce fire into an area where it was unnaturally excluded for decades, restoring the area to a more natural density of fuels and vegetation. The burn unit is located adjacent to Dorst Campground, which is currently closed for the remainder of the year, and south and west of the Generals Highway.
The trail between Lost Grove and Dorst Campground and the Muir Grove Trail are now closed and will remain closed during the burn-down period after ignitions are completed. The reopening of these trails will be contingent on evaluation by fire management personnel and will be announced in subsequent news releases.
Visitors are asked to use extra caution when traveling along the Generals Highway between Little Baldy Trailhead and the northern boundary of Sequoia National Park. They should expect to see firefighters, smoke, and fire activity in this area and are asked to drive carefully.
Smoke is likely to be present on the Generals Highway, and may cause delays or short-term closures if visibility becomes impaired. Depending on dispersion, the town of Three Rivers may experience smoke impacts at night during ignitions. 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 information on this prescribed burn, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5057/
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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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Last updated: October 10, 2016