August 21, 2023 - Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks officials report that lightning strike fires are common in the summer in the Sierra Nevada. Every time we have one, the leaders of our fire program decide how we will respond to it, based on its spread potential given the terrain, whether it is burning near infrastructure or high-use areas, how dry the surrounding vegetation is, and a host of other factors.

Sometimes, we immediately take action to suppress the fire (and most of the time, we succeed within the first 24 hours). Sometimes, however, conditions permit monitoring the fire, whether by air or on the ground or both, and allowing it to do some of the important natural work of reducing understory and dead and down vegetation.

There has been a lot lightning in the Sierra Nevada in the past week, and accordingly, new lightning-ignited fires have been reported in the wilderness. The largest of these currently is the Redwood Fire, located near Redwood Meadow, in the wilderness of Sequoia National Park. At this time, the fire is one acre in size, and is burning at low intensity in an area without a recent fire history. Firefighters spent the last several days monitoring the fire from the ground, and thus far, report that the fire effects are beneficial.

One important difference between this situation and the fall of 2021, when lightning strikes ignited the (now infamous) KNP Complex, is that there is a lot more moisture in the vegetation. Droughts drive more volatile fire behavior.

With major wet weather expected to arrive on Sunday and Monday, we expect a lot of heat will be lost from the Redwood Fire. We will continue to evaluate current and potential fire activity as the summer progresses.

Fire is spreading slowly and comsuming litter, duff, and understory on the Redwood Fire.
Photo taken 8/17/2023 - NPS/RGarlapow

Redwood Fire Information

Discovery Date: 08/15

Location: 36 31.971, -118 37.951, adjacent to Redwood Meadow Grove

Fire Size: 2 acres

Rate of Spread: Slow rate of spread. Fire was burning actively in large down logs and smoldering on the perimeter.

Notes/Current Strategy: Exhibiting low intensity fire behavior, spreading slowly through duff and understory. The fire does not currently pose a threat to park trails or infrastructure. Monitor by air and on the ground unless conditions change. Smoke is visible from several locations along the Generals Highway and in Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park.

NPS Photo of Redwood Fire in Sequoia National Park. Note the small flame lengths as the fire creeps through the understory and downed vegetation.

Source: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks