The 2020 Moraine Fire observed from the parks' helicopter shows the fire burning across steep and rugged terrain in designated wilderness.
Credit: NPS - SEKI - M Theune
Mechanical fuels treatments, prescribed burns, lightning-caused wildfires managed for multiple objectives, and full-suppression response, all play a role in protecting these highly valued resources and assets. The use of a variety of wildland fire management tools makes wildfire management efforts much safer and more cost effective.
In 2020, the parks had nineteen wildfires including the 8,419-acre Rattlesnake Fire, 1,243-acre Moraine Fire. The 175,000-acre Castle Fire burned just over 19,000-acres in Sequoia National Park which forced the closure of the park (some wilderness areas are still closed) due to the fire and air quality impacts. In total nearly 30,000-acres burned in both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
Firefighters and fire personnel additionally responded to mutual-aid fire requests on neighboring lands and supported sixty in-park search-and-rescues, including the first downed aircraft incident in the parks in five years. Furthermore, fire staff traveled to fifty-two off-park fires / incidents in 2020 mostly in the western U.S., but as far away as Alaska and Florida.
“Massive wildfires like the Castle Fire we experienced last summer are becoming increasingly more frequent. This devastating fire is responsible for killing over 300 giant sequoia monarchs at Sequoia National Park,” shared John Ziegler, parks fire management officer. “Today's mega fires do not stop at agency boundaries, nor should our planning and preparedness efforts.”
Prescribed burns and mechanical projects were minimal in 2020 because of the early year impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic and the commitment by staff to the state-wide wildfires in the second half of the year. The completion of the 244-acre Cedar Central Prescribed Burn in the spring was a highlight of the year as fire crews were able to complete the project while working within the new COVID-19 safety protocols. At the same time, this prescribed burn also used an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) also known as a drone to perform some of the ignition work, which ultimately reduced the length of the project by a day, thereby saving time, reducing risk to firefighters, and costs.
“Fuels treatments must collectively work to treat the entire landscape, not just those inside human-created boundaries,” expressed Andrew Cremers, fuels management specialist. “Having a proactive approach to fire and fuels management with our partners is critical to protecting these special places for future generations.”
Each year, managers prepare an Annual Fuels Treatment Plan that lists all the approved prescribed burns and mechanical fuel reduction projects that will help the parks accomplish goals. In all, there are nine planned projects totaling over 3,180 acres. Over 230 acres will be focused on mechanical thinning treatments to reduce hazardous fuel build up around parks’ headquarters, Lodgepole, and Grant Grove areas.
Depending on weather and fuel conditions, the earliest projects planned for this year are the 471-acre Tharps Prescribed Burn, 277-acre Hazelwood Prescribed Burn, and the 35-acre annual Ash Mountain Prescribed Burn. Additionally, the parks are planning for the 560-acre Park Ridge Prescribed Burn, 660-acre Lost Grove Prescribed Burn, and the 941-acre Deer Creek Prescribed Burn.
A full list of the planned projects can be seen by visiting http://go.nps.gov/sekifireplans. All projects and dates are subject to change based on weather and fuel conditions.
If you are visiting the parks, be aware that fire and smoke can be present at any time. Since the execution of prescribed burns depends on air quality, local fire activity, fuel moisture, and weather, the times and dates listed on the website are estimates only.
About Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks’ Fire Management Program
For over fifty years, our mission has been to use the full range of options and strategies available to manage fire in the parks. This includes protecting park resources, employees, and the public from unwanted fire; building and maintaining fire resilient ecosystems; reducing the threat to local communities from wildfires emanating from the parks or adjacent lands; and recruiting, training, and retaining a professional fire management workforce.
Source: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
