Yosemite Big Meadow Fire, 8/2009
A National Park Service investigation team is sifting through the blackened hillsides and ash left by Yosemite's 7,500-acre Big Meadow fire, probing what went wrong two weeks ago when a planned burn escaped control lines and prompted the evacuation of the small community of Foresta.
The investigators will conduct a forensic review of the fire that ran out of control Aug. 26 after embers ignited timber and chaparral surrounding the 90-acre grassy meadow being burned by park officials. The blaze eventually required more than 1,300 personnel and $15 million to contain, making it the second most expensive firefighting effort this season on public lands nationwide.
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Tags: This series shows the entrance to the old campground then goes down the road to martins, over to galleries and the to hilltop cabins.
The last 3 photos are very note worthy as it shows a small spot fire starting in front of hilltop right in front of me! The fire fighters jumped right on it.
All the fire you see behind galleries and hilltop was a back burn they did on friday with lots of support around.
Tioga Road (Highway 120 through the park)
Beginning August 31:
From Crane Flat to White Wolf: pilot car during the day; CLOSED at night.
From White Wolf to Tioga Pass: Open
The troops have arrived in El Portal. The fire trucks are rolling in and the sky cranes are hard at work. Still no real fire visible yet on the ridge above El Portal where the fire is coming from.
Our house is shaking every time one of the sky cranes comes over heading to the river.
The fire is also up in Crane Creek.
The Big Meadow Fire has gone to #1 status. They are bringing in a Type 1 (I think that is what it is called) to manage the fire.
The helicopters are just now coming back in at 8:49 am
NPS has finally made the call to bring in structure protection for El Portal as they feel it is in danger from this fire. Inside sources say that NPS does not feel very confident that they can keep the fire from reaching El Portal.
I hope they bring in hundreds of trucks since it is their fire!
This morning El Portal and western end of Yosemite is blanketed in a thick smoke. There is ash every where in El Portal and there is also a growing concern that the fire might move down into the Merced River Canyon and threaten this town. We all really hope that NPS has a plan to stop the fire from heading this way.
Here we have some photos from the NPS web cam on Turtle Back Dome from 7:30 am and I have drawn in points of reference. El Portal is on the other side of that hill engulfed in flames and down 2,000' into the canyon. It is not even 2 miles away!
It seems like the 1990 fire all over again.
At 7:30pm the sky cranes are still coming in one after another to suck water out of the Merced River right next to Hwy 140 in El Portal and then they start their long climb out. El Portal is at 2,000' and then they have to climb to 4,000' +.
Just heard that Hwy 120 will probably be closed for another couple of days. Also heard on the scanner one of the pilots talking about some line holding tonight and he gave it a 50% chance. I think they are talking about the retardant line between the fire and the rim of the canyon that drops down to El Portal. They also mentioned that it looks like they will be her for a couple of days.
The fire is almost to where the huge 1990 A-Rock fire started from a single lightning strike. That fire burned for weeks, burned up the town of Foresta, closed Yosemite for weeks, and cost who knows how much. It was a let burn fire on 8/10/1990 on one the hottest and driest August's in years. NPS let it burn and boy did it.
If the evening down slope winds hit hard the fire may jump the lines and head towards the town of El Portal, just like in 1990. Lets hope they have plans in place in case this happens.
The fire from Crane Flat lookout 8/27/09. This is looking east towards Yosemite Valley. You an see the fire heading towards Crane Flat
Tanker making a drop just west of Foresta. This is the area where the 1990 fire started and El Portal is on the other side of the ridge down 2,000' into the canyon.
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
The fire from Hwy 41 looking west with Foresta in the midst of it.
The fire from Hwy 41 looking west with Foresta in the midst of it.
The fire just above Hwy 120 by the long tunnel
The fire just above Hwy 120 by the long tunnel
The fire just above Hwy 120 by the long tunnel
Here are 2 photos of what is called the "oops fire" as it was a control burn gotten out of control.
Top photo is from NPS web cam looking west showing Foresta on the right which may be burning up right now and what looks like another new fire just west of Yosemite West. 2nd photo is from Foresta yesterday looking east into Yosemite Valley showing the out of control, control burn
