June 6, 2021 - SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. – Following a successful test burn and with concurrence from fire management staff and parks’ leadership, the 2021 Ash Mountain Prescribed Burn has started. Ignitions will continue each day through June 9, 2021.
While conducting prescribed burns, fire managers constantly take weather readings and monitor fire behavior to ensure that projects like this are not only being safely done but also meeting objectives. Crews are prepared to stop ignitions should conditions become unsuitable for burning, and resume when conditions return to an appropriate range. Ignitions on this prescribed burn are occurring early in the morning to take advantage of the cooler temperatures.
The 2021 Ash Mountain Prescribed Burn consists of 12 segments, for a total of approximately 40 acres between the Sequoia National Park entrance station and the Foothills Visitor Center, one mile inside the park.
Information about this prescribed burn will be post to the parks’ website, social media pages, and Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7505
Visitors may see smoke, active fire, and firefighters during the burn, and are asked to drive slowly and follow all firefighter instructions. Smoke impacts are expected to be minimal and short-lived, as the vegetation in the unit is chiefly fine fuels that will be consumed quickly. Visitors can learn more about air quality and smoke by visiting www.airnow.gov or www.valleyair.org. 
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: NPS
