Sheep Fire burnout ops completed; firefighters work to hold fire line
The Sheep Fire Complex has grown to 8,475 acres (5,355 acres in the Sequoia National Forest (including the 25 acre Marvin Fire), 3,095 acres in Kings Canyon National Park). Growth remains predominately to the west, and drifting smoke is still posing problems to some regional air quality indexes.
Fire crews have completed the fire line and burnout operations west of the fire in an effort to contain the active flank. Crews are prepared to hold the fire line as the wildfire edge approaches. Unseasonably warm temperatures and low relative humidity levels have increased fire activity. This weather is anticipated over the fire for the next five days and will be a challenge for holding operations. Four helicopters are dedicated to the Sheep Fire to assist firefighters in holding the western fire line.
Crews continue to hold the fire south of the Kings River along Hwy 180 in Kings Canyon to prevent fire spread north of the Kings River. Fire activity is minimal on the eastern and southern flanks.
Visitors to Hume Lake, Cedar Grove, and locations throughout the Kings Canyon should anticipate significant smoke. Morning inversion is holding smoke in Hume Lake and Kings Canyon. Significant smoke is also being experienced in Cedar Grove.
To view real-time smoke monitoring data for Hume Lake and Cedar Grove, visit www.satguard.com/usfs/fleet.aspx. Hume Lake’s link is labeled “Sequoia NP area.” Fire and associated smoke from the Sheep Fire and
Hume Lake areas can be viewed via the following webcams:
http://sierrafire.cr.usgs.gov/camHist/viewer09.pl?camera=3_mobile_knp_1&lastFrame=true and www.humelake.org/webcams/. For tips on how to reduce exposure to smoke, visit www.airquality.org/smokeimpact/ –NPS
