Castle Fire: The Castle Fire has burned 37,354 acres and is continuing to burn on several active fronts. Crews have been able to establish a primary containment line on the southwest side of the fire in the vicinity of Lloyd Meadows, Lloyd Flat, and Pyle’s Camp. A full suppression strategy is being used to confine the fire using hand crews, and bulldozers to extend containment line assisted by aircraft along with existing roads and trail systems. Fire engines from multiple agencies including Tulare County Fire Department are being employed in the Ponderosa, Pyle’s Camp, Lloyd Meadows and Peppermint Ranch areas to assist with structure protection. The fire has burned approximately 32,354 acres on the Sequoia National Forest and approximately 5,000 acres on the Inyo National Forest near Soda Flats, toward Chinquapin Basin and along Kern Ridge.
Shotgun Fire: The Shotgun Fire, located where Pistol Creek and Shotgun Creek converge in the Golden Trout Wilderness, has now burned 374 acres. The fire is burning in rough rocky terrain and grew approximately 12 acres backing toward the Little Kern River. At this time, the Shotgun Fire continues to be monitored by air resources.
There are currently 557 personnel on the SQF Complex, with additional resources still on order. The SQF Complex has burned 37,728 acres and 0% contained.
Evacuation Notice: The Evacuation Order placed August 28, 2020 by Tulare County Sheriff’s Office is still active for the following communities: Cedar Slope, Ponderosa, and Pyle’s Camp. The Evacuation Advisory is still in place for the following communities: Camp Nelson, Rodgers Camp, Coy Flat and Mountain Aire. The evacuation order and advisory evacuation affect 242 structures. A temporary evacuation point had been set up by the Red Cross at Porterville College Stadium Gate 2. Roads are closed at Johnsondale Bridge and Sherman Pass, Hwy 190, and the County Transfer Station, as well as M107 and Mountain Road 50.
Closures: The Sequoia National Forest has issued Order No. 0513-20-31 SQF Complex Fire Area Road and Trails Closure. The Inyo National Forest has issued Order No. 05-04-51-20-16 Inyo National Forest Castle Fire Trail and Area Closure, for the protection of the public and firefighters suppressing the fire. These closures are being enforced.
Priorities Include: Ponderosa, Cedar Slope, Forks of the Kern Trailhead; Jerkey Mountain Trailhead; Facilities and Trails within Trout Meadow; structures and facilities along the Lloyd Meadow Road; RM Pyle’s Boys Camp; grazing cattle west of north road; the Freeman Creek Grove and other sequoia tree groves; the President George H.W. Bush Tree; Camp Whitsett, featuring numerous Native American archeological values; Peppermint Fire Station; The Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog and Little Kern Golden Trout Critical Habitats; Pacific Fisher habitats.
Weather: A high pressure system is building over the area, with hot and dry conditions expected to persist for several days. Relative humidity continues to drop, which can contribute to an increase fire activity. Light winds are expected early in the day from the southeast to south at 2 to 5 mph and occasional gusts to 15 mph. In the mid-afternoon, southwest to west winds are forecast at 4 to 9 miles per hour with gusts to 15 mph. These lighter winds will keep smoke trapped in the valley through much of the day.
Smoke Impact: Stable air conditions will keep smoke in the valleys for the next several days. Kern River Valley remains adversely impacted by Unhealthy to Hazardous air quality. Most areas are expected to improve to Moderate during at least a few hours each day. Please note the following tips to protect yourself from unhealthy air quality. Stay inside during the worst air quality and try to plan your outside time for late afternoon until midnight when the air is normally cleaner. Also attaching a filter to a box fan is a low-cost portable solution; for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vJk5BM8xUo
Special notes: Fire managers will employ tactics that safely engage fire while prioritizing firefighter and public safety and protecting values at risk. Life safety will always remain the number one priority. COVID-19 mitigations are being taken to limit exposure risks to firefighters and the public, per CDC guidelines.
