According to Yosemite National Park, there are there currently at least 12 wildfires burning in Yosemite National Park, CA (see map above).

11 of the 12 fires were started by lightning.  We’re guessing that many of these lightning ignited fires began via the large amount of lightning strikes (6,735) that occurred in California on September 11th, 2017.

Full details of how Yosemite plans to manage these natural fires below.

The Empire and South Fork Fires continue to burn within Yosemite National Park.  Details on those fires way below.  Both of these fires were started by lightning as well.

Glacier Point Road remains closed due to the Empire Fire.

“Expect smoky conditions in Yosemite.  Expect poor air quality and limited visibility due to fires in Yosemite.” – Yosemite National Park, today

Despite these fires, air quality in Yosemite is ranked as good to moderate today (see chart way below).

There are multiple fires burning in Yosemite National Park’s wilderness area from natural lightning ignition.

by Yosemite Fire & Aviation

September 13th, 2017

A Blaze with Benefits: Fire Ecology at Work

 Fire and smoke are as much a part of the Yosemite ecosystem as water and ice. Every year, thousands of lightning strikes occur within park boundaries, igniting vegetation made tinder-dry by Yosemite’s long, hot summers.

 More than 40 years of fire ecology have taught fire managers that suppressing all fires results in unnatural fuel buildup and only delays the inevitable, and can make fires more severe than they otherwise would have been.

 Just as dam operators must let some water spill through their dams in order to prevent floods, fire managers must let some fire and smoke occur to keep the larger conflagrations at bay, especially in mid-elevation, mixed conifer forests where a “flood” of accumulated biomass threatens to be released by severe fire.

 Fire managers work to restore healthy forests and reduce the threat of extensive, severe fire by allowing some lightning-ignited wildfires to burn under moderate conditions. They also use prescribed fire and mechanical tree thinning to reduce fuels. 

 In addition to reducing the risk of severe fire at large scales, wildfires can also help create healthy forests. The current widespread tree mortality event is likely more extensive than it would have been without a century of fire suppression. In addition to the ongoing drought, warming temperature and native bark beetles, fire suppression dramatically increased tree densities, which in turn increased competition for limited water resources.

 Wildfires that burn under more moderate conditions can also increase habitat and species diversity across the landscape by burning intensely in some areas and less so in others.

 While balancing this need for fire, Yosemite’s fire managers strive to protect the quality and clarity of the air that park visitors breathe. Although wildfires managed under more moderate conditions may have transient, moderate smoke impacts in areas near the fire, it limits the potential for future severe fires that could otherwise cause extremely unhealthy levels of smoke for extended periods, over a much wider area.

 Despite the ecosystem health benefits of wildfire, managers will suppress wildfires that threaten homes and infrastructure.

 

EMPIRE FIRE UPDATE:

September 13th, 2017

Approximate Location

Incident Overview

Basic Information

Current as of	9/13/2017, 12:37:38 PM
Incident Type	Wildfire
Cause	Lightning/natural
Date of Origin	Tuesday August 01st, 2017 approx. 08:45 AM
Location	1 Mile east of Badger Pass Ski Area, directly adjacent to Bridalveil Crk. Campground n Yosemite’s Wilderness
Incident Commander	Eric Messenger, ICT3
Incident Description	Management

Current Situation

Total Personnel	43
Size	6,200 Acres
Percent of Perimeter Contained	55%
Fuels Involved	Red Fir Timber (Litter and Understory), Dormant Brush, Hardwood Slash Pockets of green leaf manzanita and chinquapin brush as well as heavy dead and down material
Significant Events	The following trail and area closures are in place until further notice: • Glacier Point Road • Bridalveil Campground • Ostrander Trail • Bridalveil Trail • Alder Creek Trail • Mono Meadow Trail • Turner Meadow Trail All closed trailheads and junctions will be posted with a trail closure order and map.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Burn out northeast corner of the fire. Continue to patrol and hold the south flank of the fire to ensure this critical section of the fire is secured. Hold the west side. Continue to monitor and collect intelligence on the east side of fire, by hiking to high points and recon with helicopter.

Current Weather

Weather Concerns	An upper low off the coast will continue to provide a threat of showers and thunderstorms across much of central California through Tuesday. The thunderstorm threat will continue mainly over the Sierra Nevada through Thursday. Otherwise a cooling trend and an increase in relative humidity values will be present through the end of the week.

 

SOUTH FORK FIRE UPDATE:

September 13th, 2017

Approximate Location

Incident Overview

 

Basic Information

Current as of	9/13/2017, 12:44:26 PM
Incident Type	Wildfire
Cause	Lightning
Date of Origin	Sunday August 13th, 2017 approx. 02:30 AM
Location	.75 mile east of the community of Wawona
Incident Commander	Eric Messenger ICT3
Incident Description	Supression

Current Situation

Size	6,840 Acres
Percent of Perimeter Contained	47%
Fuels Involved	Timber (Litter and Understory) Brush (2 feet) Fuels with-in the fire vicinity are mixed conifer, red fir, oak, and brush. In the immediate area the fire is experiencing quick drying trends. Fuels contain areas of beetle mortality.
Significant Events	The following trail and area closures are in place until further notice: •The Swinging Bridge Trail on both the north and south sides of the South Fork of the Merced River. •The Chilnualna Falls Trail from Wawona Trailhead to the top of Chilnualna Falls. •The two mile connecting trail heading north from the top of Chilnualna Falls to the intersection of the Buena Vista Trail. •The Chilnualna Creek Trail from the top of Chilnualna Falls east to the intersection of the Buena Vista and Buck Camp trails (Just east of Johnson Lake). •Turner Meadow Trail •Turner Meadow intersection east to Buena Vista trail •Off-trail areas in the vicinity of the South Fork Fire Area, including the swimming holes north of Chilnualna Creek. • All climbing routes on and around Wawona Dome are closed.

Outlook

Planned Actions	South Fork fire will be monitored by air, and from lookouts near the fire.
Projected Incident Activity	12 hours: Fire is actively backing and flanking to the east. 24 hours: Fire is actively backing and flanking to the east. 48 hours: Weather forecast is for lower temperatures and higher relative humidity which should moderate fire behavior.

Current Weather

Weather Concerns	An upper low off the coast will continue to provide a threat of showers and thunderstorms across much of central California through Tuesday. The thunderstorm threat will continue mainly over the sierra Nevada through Thursday. Otherwise a cooling trend and an increase in relative humidity values will be present through the end of the week.