SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS –Fire management staff at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are preparing to burn piles of cut vegetation in multiple locations throughout the parks. The work will be ongoing as conditions allow from January 22 through March 15, 2024.  

The upcoming pile burning will dispose of cut materials generated by restorative thinning and defensible space work conducted in the past two years. These projects provide zones of reduced fuels, which promote healthier conditions for giant sequoias and other species and provide protection for structures and popular visitation areas. The zones of reduced fuels also make for safer and more effective firefighting in the event of future unplanned wildfires and prepare the areas for possible broadcast prescribed burns in the future.  

Pile burning is planned in the Big Stump, Grant Grove, and Sequoia Creek areas of Kings Canyon National Park. Burning will also take place in designated wood lots in the Ash Mountain, Dorst, and Grant Grove areas of Sequoia and Kings Canyon.  

During the next couple of months visitors to the parks may see smoke, burning piles, firefighters, and firefighting equipment along the roadway. Specific timing for the work will be dependent upon environmental prescription parameters, air quality windows, and staffing levels. 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks work closely with the San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District to coordinate and regulate smoke contributions to the airshed. For air quality information and detailed particulate matter tracking, visit https://fire.airnow.gov. For regional information about air quality, visit www.valleyair.org.

[SOURCE: Ross Garlapow, Fuels Technician, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks]