July 17, 2024 - Yosemite Fire and Aviation Management officials report Yosemite National Park has seen multiple thunderstorms over the past week that produced twelve lightning strike fires.
These fires are in high elevation wilderness ranging from 4,700 to 9,800 feet and fire managers are assessing conditions and response.
The Aspen, Grove, Dog Leg, Smith, Dewey, and Harden fires have been contained. The Indian, Porcupine, Cascade, Wegner, Eagle Creek, and Dorothy fires have firefighters on scene providing updates on conditions. Some of these will be assessed by air due to inaccessibility and some will be hiked by crews.
Some areas of the park received precipitation from these storms; as conditions dry out, we may see additional fires.
Yosemite National Park is a fire-adapted ecosystem. The overall strategy for all wildland fires is to provide for the safety of employees and the public and protect and enhance natural and cultural resources.
Ackerson – Stanislaus National Forest
Location: North of Ackerson Meadow, 0.2 miles outside of the park boundary in Stanislaus NF.
Note: Yosemite Fire resources provided initial attack for mutual aid assistance to Stanislaus National Forest (STF) until STF resources arrived on scene.
Discovery Date: July 15, 2024 Cause: Lightning
Elevation: 4,700’
Aspen
Location: One mile west of Aspen Valley.
Discovery Date: July 13, 2024 Size: 0.1 acre
Containment: 100% Cause: Lightning
Elevation: 6,200’
Grove
Location: Northwest of Crane Flat near the Tuolumne Grove Road.
Discovery Date: July 13, 2024 Size: 0.1 acre
Containment: 100% Cause: Lightning
Elevation: 4,700’
Dog Leg
Location: Northeast of Crane Flat, near Unicorn Creek.
Discovery Date: July 13, 2024 Size: 0.1 acre
Containment: 100% Cause: Lightning
Elevation: 5,200’
Smith
Location: Southeast of Smith Peak, south of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.
Discovery Date: July 13, 2024 Size: 0.1 acre
Containment: 100% Cause: Lightning
Elevation: 7,200’
Dewey
Location: Southwest of Dewey Point.
Discovery Date: July 13, 2024 Size: 0.1 acre
Containment: 100% Cause: Lightning
Elevation: 7,200’
Harden
Location: Northwest of White Wolf, west of Harden Lake.
Discovery Date: July 13, 2024 Size: 0.1 acre
Containment: 100% Cause: Lightning
Elevation: 7,200’
Indian
Location: South of Tioga Road, west of Lehamite Creek.
Discovery Date: July 13, 2024 Size: 0.1 acre
Containment: 0% Cause: Lightning
Elevation: 7,400’
Porcupine
Location: North of Tioga Road, southwest of Wegner Lake.
Discovery Date: July 13, 2024 Size: 0.1 acre
Containment: 0% Cause: Lightning
Elevation: 9,800’
Cascade
Location: South of Tioga Road, west of Yosemite Creek.
Discovery Date: July 13, 2024 Size: 0.1 acre
Containment: 0% Cause: Lightning
Elevation: 7,600’
Wegner
Location: Near Mount Hoffman.
Discovery Date: July 16, 2024 Size: 0.1 acre
Containment: 0% Cause: Lightning
Elevation: 9,500’
Eagle Creek
Location: East of Lukens Lake Trail, west of Yosemite Creek.
Discovery Date: July 16, 2024 Size: 0.1 acre
Containment: 0% Cause: Lightning
Elevation: 7,900’
Dorothy
Location: Just south of Dorothy Lake.
Discovery Date: July 16, 2024 Size: 0.1 acre
Containment: 0% Cause: Lightning
Elevation: 9,600’
Yosemite Fire helicopter 551 doing a bucket water drop on the Ackerson Fire in Stanislaus NF.
Photo credit: P. Bevington/NPS
Source: NPS
