Blue Jay Fire on Saturday afternoon
Photo credit: NPS
August 12, 2020 - The Blue Jay Fire was ignited by lightning on July 24th. It is not currently burning on or along any trails.The strategy for this fire is to confine and contain it to a specific area, utilizing natural barriers for the fire to burn into, such as granite and bare ground. This minimizes fire suppression impacts in the wilderness and reduce exposure to firefighters in a remote area of the park where there are no trails or campgrounds. Firefighters are on scene and will continue to monitor fire behavior. One Yosemite Wildfire Module (WFM) is committed to the incident.
The fire is creeping and smoldering through ground litter on the forest floor and burning in pockets of accumulated dead and down logs with some isolated single tree torching along its active perimeter. Smoke production has been light to moderate depending on fuels. Smoke has been lifting and rising 300 feet above tree tops and dispersing to the east.The fire is expected to continue creeping and smoldering as it burns through timber litter with an overstory of lodgepole and red fir.
The area the fire is burning in is a fire adapted ecosystem. There are currently no threats to infrastructure or access on maintained trails. The fire will be visible from Tioga Road, Glacier Point, and from high country viewpoints.
Park Managers are working with the local Air Quality Districts and will be monitoring smoke impacts to the park and local communities.
Location: In the wilderness 4 miles south of White Wolf campground and 1 mile west of Lukens Lake trail at approximately 9,000 feet elevation.
Cause: Lightning
Source: NPS - Photo credit: NPS
Related: Yosemite National Park Lightning Caused Blue Jay Fire Grows to 50 Acres