The Rough Fire continues to be listed at 95% contained. See below. For the incident page go here.
North Zone Update
E-341 was released from the incident at 1900 on 10-4-15 after several days of patrolling Div. A/B. on road 11S12 from the Baily’s Bridge thru Balch Camp up to Blackrock with no smoke showing in those areas. E-43 is still patrolling the upper part of the incident on Div. D on road 11S07 south of Wishon Lake, patrols are still being conducted daily. AA-15 is still assigned to both North and South zones of the incident and is flying recons on an “as needed” basis. Div. E, along the Crown Valley Trail is patrolled as needed by horseback. Interior fire activity throughout the incident is still ongoing, but all fire is still confined to the ground with minimal potential for any escape. The fire received minimal precipitation from a storm that occurred on Oct 3rd & 4th with no impact to the fire. Fire activity is expected to continue until the area receives significant moisture.
Last weeks aerial reconnaissance showed minimal change in fire’s progression.
On 10/8/2015 at 1800, Engine 43 and myself off of the fire. At this time there are no personnel assigned to the North Zone, Rough.
Warmer and dryer air moved into the area this week with above average temperatures, but firefighters were able to mop up hot spots and keep containment of the fire. Fire crews are continuing to patrol and mop-up areas within the perimeter of the burn. A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team assessed the burned area for long-term threats to life, property, water quality and deteriorated ecosystems from further damage.
Recreation Update for the South Zone
The Rough Fire is nearing containment where it burned on the Hume Lake Ranger District in Giant Sequoia National Monument, Sequoia National Forest. Even though the threat of fire is diminishing, the effects of that fire and suppression activities are keeping most of the District closed for public safety.
Currently, the Eshom and Stony Creek areas south of Highway 180, west of the Generals Highway, are open for recreation, including hunting. The road leading into Hume Lake from Highway 180 and the Generals Highway (Tenmile road) may be reopened in 2-3 weeks. Barriers need to be installed on secondary roads leading from the Tenmile road prior to this route to Hume Lake being reopened for winter activity.
The rest of the Hume Lake Ranger District will remain closed for the rest of this season. This includes Big Meadows, Millwood, Delilah, McKenzie Ridge, Converse Basin, and the Jennie Lakes Wilderness. There are still hot spots smoldering in the burned area, trees that may fall having been weakened by fire, and rolling debris loosened from burned vegetation.
Recreation area opening procedures in the springtime typically require weeks of preparation before an area can be open to visitors. “With that in mind, and the normal recreation season ending in mid-November, I have decided to keep these areas closed until next season,” stated District Ranger Teresa Benson. “With the fire suppression repair work ongoing on the District, even those areas that were not actually burned in the Rough fire are being affected by our activities.”
“We appreciate the patience and understanding of hunters who have traditionally hunted within the closed area for abiding by the closure as firefighters continue to secure the perimeter and conduct suppression repair,” stated Benson. Individuals who currently hold a permit for entry or who have permission to access their property will be allowed to do so. However, they will only be given access to their property; these permits do not give access to recreate in the closed areas.
Sequoia National Forest Information (559) 539-2607 ext. 72212
Sierra National Forest Information (559) 297-0706.
Kings Canyon National Park Information (559) 565-3703
Further updates will occur when there is significant information to report
SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST CLOSURE ORDER
SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST CLOSURE ORDER
Breakdown of Acreage by Ownership
Kings Canyon National Park: 9,413 Acres
Sequoia National Forest: 82,573 Acres
Sierra National Forest: 58,541 Acres
State Lands: 6 Acres
Private Lands: 1,090 Acres
Basic Information
| Current as of | 10/14/2015, 8:08:42 AM |
|---|---|
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Lightning/natural |
| Date of Origin | Friday July 31st, 2015 approx. 07:00 PM |
| Location | 5 miles North of Hume Lake and 2.5 miles to the southwest of Spanish Mountain5 |
| Incident Commander | Joe Domingo, ICT4 South Zone, Brian Vasquez, ICT4 North Zone |
| Incident Description | Wildfire |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 50 |
|---|---|
| Size | 151,623 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 95% |
| Fuels Involved | Timber (Litter and Understory |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | **South Zone: Continue to patrol the burned area. Suppression repair work ongoing.
**North Zone: Patrol fire line as needed. |
|---|---|
| Remarks | Breakdown of Acreage by Ownership:
Sequoia National Forest: 82,573 acres Sierra National Forest: 58,541 Kings Canyon National Park: 9,413 acres State Lands: 6 acres Private Lands: 1,090 acres |