Fresno County: Overnight fire activity in the South Zone of the Creek Fire did not significantly increase the existing fire perimeter. Areas of the fire experiencing the most activity was south of Mount Tom and the most eastern portion of the South Zone east of China Peak. There may be movement in alignment with the change in weather and terrain driven winds towards the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
Firing operations may take place on the northeastern portions of the South Zone in the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River. If this occurs it will be within control lines and anyone in the area may see smoke rising from the fire. In general, the fire will smolder within the existing perimeter in heavier fuels such as timber and dense fuel beds in the southern portions of the fire near Burrough Mountain and Sycamore Canyon.,
Operationally, fire resources will perform tactical patrol near the fire perimeter mopping up hot spots and ensuring structures are prepared for defense in the event the fire approaches communities. Containment remains a priority, and hand crews will be deployed in areas where heavy equipment (i.e. bulldozers) cannot be utilized due to challenging terrain.
Madera County: Weather conditions are changing with a high-pressure system moving across the area. This shifts winds to the northeast along ridgetops and upper slopes producing a light to moderate down-sloping wind. Temperatures are also expected to climb starting today and into next week and return day-time high temperatures to the 90’s. Expect smoke conditions to increase along the Highway 41 Corridor.
Crews working in the Central Camp and Whiskey Falls area have finished the firing operations and they are now in patrol and monitor status. The military support there was a great success. The hazards in the area are the dead trees that are falling in that area. Crews will remain in those areas and Cascadel Woods to strengthen containment.
Areas of active fire are east of Chiquito Creek and the 5S04 road and east of Beasore Meadow and south to Central Camp Road.
At its closest distance, the fire was measured to be about 10-12 miles west of Mammoth Lakes. The visual inspection verified that the natural barriers and the previous Lions fire (2017) burn scar do appear to be limiting fire spread in the north-eastern flank. Conditions continue to be monitored very closely by emergency officials. Additional information is available via the Sierra National Forest Facebook page, or the below link:
https://creek-fire-preparednessmonomammoth.hub.arcgis.com.
Once again, with the increased use of air resources, please respect the Temporary Flight Restriction. The use of drones is not permitted over the fire area. A drone incursion will result in the grounding of all firefighting aircraft. Remember, "If you fly - We can't
Basic Information
Incident Type:
Wildfire
Cause:
Under Investigation
Date of Origin:
Friday September 04th, 2020 approx. 06:00 PM
Location:
Big Creek, Huntington Lake, Shaver Lake, Mammoth Pool, San Joaquin River Canyon
Incident Commander:
Nick Truax CAL FIRE IMT1, Martin Adell Great Basin IMT1, Madera County SO, Fresno County SO
Coordinates:
37.201, -119.272
Current Situation
Total Personnel:
3,726
Size (Acres):
302,870
Containment:
39%
Estimated Containment Date:
Thursday October 15th, 2020 approx. 12:00 AM
Fuels Involved:
The fuel loading in the timber is estimated at 2,000 tons per acre. The brush in the area is at critical fuels moisture levels, 60% in the ceanothus and manzanita.
Significant Events:
North Zone: Fire continued to be active in areas where wind and topography aligned, otherwise it continued to creep and flare up as it entered pockets of available fuels.
South Zone: The fire burned actively through the night in the northern portion, aided by the more easterly winds. The complex terrain influences the general wind and moves the fire in multiple directions. The fire continues to have group torching and short range spotting. The remainder of the fire has heavy material smoldering and making short runs in the interior islands.
Planned Outlook
Planned Actions:
Construct, strengthen and improve control lines.
Mop up around structures in the burn.
Implement progressive hose-lays as needed.
Prepare for firing operations.
Fall hazard trees and trees that threaten control lines.
Mop up in from control lines.
Locate and construct secondary control lines.
Projected Incident Activity:
North Zone: Active fire will continue in the Norris Lake, Cora Creek, Little Shuteye Peak areas and south of Whisky Falls.
South Zone: The north end of the fire will continue to burn to the south of Mount Tom. The fire progression will slow as fuels become reduced in the high higher elevation rock. The fire will continue to progress towards Florence Lake and the Dinkey Lakes Wilderness. The rest of the fire will continue to smolder in the heavy fuels.
Weather Synopsis
Weather Concerns:
North Zone: Weather Concerns: Northeast winds will increase Sunday night with enhanced overnight drainage flows expected through early Monday morning. A strong area of high pressure will then strengthen through much of the upcoming week bringing an extended period of unseasonable heat, poor humidity recoveries, and light diurnal terrain driven winds.
South Zone: Moderate humidity recoveries overnight with clear skies and light downslope to downcanyon winds. With smoke settling back into the lower drainages and canyons, it may be dense for some locations in early morning. Despite sunshine Saturday, smoke will be very difficult to mix out because of a fairly stable atmosphere. Temperatures will nudge up slightly, the first step of several into a very warm and dry period ahead.
Incident Contact
Incident Contact
Creek Fire Information
Email: CreekFire2020@gmail.com
Phone: 415-737-5758
Hours: Daily 7am to 9pm
Fire Unit Information
Sierra National Forest
U.S. Forest Service
1600 Tollhouse Road
Clovis, CA 93611
