Big Meadow Prescribed Fire, Photos and update, 8.27.09, 6:30pm

First of all let me say that this fire is HUGE!. What started out as prescribed fire in Big Meadow, Foresta has turned into a 3,000 + acre fire.

Hwy 120 between Yosemite Valley and Crane Flat is closed with no date for opening. Crane Flat Campground has been evacuated as the fire is moving up that way. From Hwy 41 we saw flames all the way down to the long tunnel on Hwy 120 with loud crashes from burning trees that were falling. We did not see any fire trucks on Hwy 120 and one wonders what will happen when one of those burning trees falls and crosses the road as it drops into the canyon and Hwy 140. Yosemite Valley is starting to fill with smoke and smoke goes all the way up to Lake Tahoe.

Foresta seems to have surrived with no structures lost at this time but the area is still surrounded by fire on all sides. Apparently the fire was east of Foresta until last night but when the night down canyon winds swept in it roared through Foresta singing some buildings. We have a home there and I can tell you that the morning down canyon winds blow around 20 to 30mph between 6am and 9 am. I heard that no one on fire was aware of this morning wind event and it caught them off guard.

Down in El Portal the sky crane helicopters are lining up to suck water out of the Merced River, it is quite a sight as they come in loud right next to Hwy 140. There are also bombers dropping retardant all the time.

The fire from El Portal on Hwy 140, 2pm
yosemite foresta fire