Timber (Litter and Understory)

Brush (2 feet)

Short Grass (1 foot)

Narrative: Timber litter, brush, steep terrain, high density of 10 year old snags.

Observed Fire Behavior:

Active

Uphill Runs

Spotting

Flanking

Fire has been active at night.

Use aviation resources to moderate fire behavior while available hand crews look for opportunities for direct and indirect line construction. Prevent fire from crossing major drainages. Prepare infrastructure for arrival of fire and provide protection during fire passage.

12 hours: Colony fire spreads east up Marble Fork drainage and continues to back off ridge to the south, west and north. Paradise backs down Paradise Ridge and Milk Ranch into the East Fork of the Kaweah drainage, and makes uphill run towards the Colony Fire and Giant Forest.

24 hours: Colony Fire continues up Marble Fork on the South and to Lodgepole, slope reversal results in uphill run in Yuca creek to the north. Colony and Paradise fire will join at Generals Hwy. Colony will make uphill run to Giant Forest and east up the Middle Fork of the Kaweah.

48 hours: Fires will continue upslope to the northeast into Giant Forest and north into Lodgepole/Wuksachi/Red Fir. To the west it will continue to back down to the west and south.

72 hours: Fire continues to spread upslope to the north and east and up the East Fork of the Kaweah into Mineral King and west towards Ash Mt headquarters.

Anticipated after 72 hours: Fire continues upslope from Generals Hwy to the north and to the east up the Middle and East Forks of the Kaweah. To the west the fire continues to back into Three Rivers and the North Fork of the Kaweah.

A dry onshore flow will maintain dry conditions over the fire through the week. Afternoon highs will remain a few degrees above seasonal average over the fire through the middle of the week. A cooling trend will take place beginning on Thursday and continue through next weekend. Good ventilation will favor fire growth. Westerly afternoon and evening winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 40 mph will continue to surface over the wind prone mountain and desert areas through the middle of this week.