Giant effort
Winds subside in Windy Fire fight
Effort to protect Groves, Trail of 100 Giants continues
As of Monday afternoon the Windy Fire had grown to 25,191 acres and was four percent contained. The fire is buring on the Tule River Indian Reservation and in the Sequoia National Forest, including the Giant Sequoia National Monument.
On Sunday afternoon, a passing cold front brought gusty northwestern winds as firefighters worked to contain the fire’s spread. Sequoia National Forest stated minimal fire spread pn Sunday night would enable firefighters to engage the fire on Monday as the strong winds subside.
The Western Divide Highway is being impacted by the fire as are Peppermint, Quaking Aspen, Camp Whitsett and Johnsondale. The forest service stated firefighters have successfully defended structures in those areas and were also assessing and protecting homes in the Ponderosa area.
The fire has reached the 2020 Castle Fire burn scare area on th northern flank, slowing the fire’s growth. Flames were slowly backing down rocky areas two miles south of Camp Nelson as of Monday afternoon. On the northeast flank the fire remained two miles south of Ponderosa as of Monday afternoon. As of Monday heavy water-dropping helicopters and fire crews were working to contain a twoacre spot fire south of Johnsondale on the fire’s southeast flank.
On the western flant crews and bulldozers were completing indirect control lines to stop the fire’s spread. On the eastern flank, the fire was buring in lighter fuels, grass and brush, as flames moved within a
previously unable to do so safely,” the forest service stated.
The fire has burned through the Peyrone and Red Hill Groves and a portion of the Long Meadow Grove along the Trail of the 100 Giants. “Fire crews with hoses and water-dropping helicopters are working to limit damage to the Giant Sequoias,” the forest service stated.
The forest service added smaller, standing dead trees and heavy ground fuels were burning in that area. The walking trail at the Trail of 100 Giants remained unaffected. Firefighters have wrapped bridges along the trail with fireresistant wrap. “A full damage assessment will be done in these groves when it is safe to do so,” the forest service stated.
The fire has burned the crown of one Giant Sequoia in the Trail of 100 Giants.
WINDY FIRE CLOSURE AREA EXPANDED
The Sequoia National Forest expanded the Windy Fire Area, Roads, and Trails Closure Order on Monday. The closure remains in effect through December 31.
The west side is closed on M50 where it reaches the forest boundary near California Hot Springs. The southern edge ties in with the northern perimeter of the French Fire closure area near White River.
The northern edge ties in with the Castle Fore closure area near Ponderosa. M99 coming from Kernville is closed near Johnsondale Bridge.
On Thursday, September 9, thunderstorm activity, including dry lightning, sparked the Windy Fire on the Tule River Indian Reservation. By Sunday, September 12, the fire had crossed onto the Sequoia National Forest.
“The fire’s rapid spread has prompted elevated safety concerns in the fire area,” the forest service stated.
Sequoia National Forest Supervisor Teresa Benson said the Windy Fire continues to show aggressive behavior posing a threat to human life, property, and natural resources.
“The fire is continuing to spread across the forest posing an extreme threat to public and firefighter safety,” Benson said. “Over the last week many of our mountain communities are once again threatened, with evacuations and evacuation warnings in place.
“I am increasing the Windy Fire Closure Area in light of the fire’s recent expansion and anticipated growth.the roads and trails within the Windy Fire Closure Area are also closed.”
Benson also stated she was closing Cherry Hill and Big Meadow Roads to prevent hunters from being trapped behind closed gates.
Exemptions to the Order include residents and owners of private property, Federal, State,
or local officers, or members of an organized rescue or firefighting force in performing an official duty.
The order, exemptions, and map are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/ sequoia/.
“Forest officials continue to prioritize firefighter safety recognizing the difficulty faced this season when firefighting resources are limited throughout the state,” the forest service stated. “Our primary response strategy continues to be an aggressive initial attack, supported by available air tankers and helicopters, including using local resources from federal, tribal, state, and local partners to extinguish wildfires.”
ROAD CLOSURES The following roads have been closed:
Western Divide Highway at North Road intersection near Quaking Aspen Campground to M50 above California Hot Springs; M99 above Kernville at Sherman Pass intersection; M99 north of Ncnally’s Fairview Lodge at 7300 Kern River Highway going north towards Sherman Pass.
The California Highway Patrol also closed Highway 190 at Redwood Drive on Monday. Only Cedar Slope residents were allowed to enter and the closure was indefinite.
EVACUATION WARNINGS, ORDERS
An evacuation warning remained in effect for Camp Nelson and surrounding communities.
Evacuation orders remained in effect for Johnsondale, Camp Whitsett, Ponderosa and Quaking Aspen.
TREES PROTECTED IN KNP COMPLEX
Four famous giant sequoias were not harmed by a wildfire that reached the edge of Giant Forest in California’s Sequoia National Park, authorities said.
The Four Guardsmen, a group of trees that form a natural entryway on the road to the forest, were successfully protected from the KNP Complex fire by the removal of nearby vegetation and by wrapping fire-resistant material around the bases of the trees, the firefighting management team said in a statement Sunday.