• Size: 12,705 acres
• Cause: Lightning
• Email: 2024.coffeepot.ca@firenet.gov
• Incident Website: inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/caknp coffeepot-fire
• Start Date: Monday, August 3, 2024, at 10:05 AM
• Percent Contained: 25%
• Personnel: 1477

CONTENT PROVIDED BY INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM

NOTE: We have edited the content to exclude information that is pertinent to social media users only. Additions by the Three Rivers Together team are in brackets.

CURRENT SITUATION: Yesterday, firefighters prioritized operations on the fire’s northern flank. Crews used strategic firing operations, direct control lines, water drops, and retardant to contain fire that had reached beyond the primary control line near Case Mountain Road. As fire backed into the East Fork Kaweah River yesterday, firefighters identified and suppressed spot fires that reached beyond the river’s primary control line. On the northeast flank, crews worked to hold fire within the direct control line toward Horse Creek, bolstering the line with fire retardant operations. To the south, firefighters monitored for residual heat within the fire’s perimeter near Scratch Creek, with mop-up and repair activities progressing along the South Fork Kaweah River containment line. Crews on the western flank patrolled for any spot fires and held the containment line being established there.

Today, crews will again focus efforts on the northern flank. Firefighters will continue fortifying the primary control line near Case Mountain Road. Crews will strengthen secondary indirect control lines constructed along Mineral King Road. Firefighters will use low intensity back burning with aerial ignition where fire has not yet reached the primary control line at the East Fork Kaweah River. Using aerial resources, crews will add retardant along the ridges north of East Fork Kaweah River to bolster containment efforts. On the northeast flank, firefighters will hold direct control lines southeast of the Eden Creek Grove of giant sequoias, and will continue constructing control lines toward Horse Creek. To the south, crews will monitor for any residual heat near Scratch Creek, and continue mop-up and repair along the South Fork Drive containment line. Firefighters on the southwest flank will begin suppression repair efforts. To the northwest, crews will monitor the area around Case Mountain for residual heat to ensure control lines are holding.

WEATHER: Higher pressure will build over the region through mid-week bringing hotter temperatures and drier conditions. Winds today and tomorrow will remain terrain-driven, upslope in the late morning through the afternoon and overnight with drainage winds. Winds will remain from the southwest in the afternoon. With higher pressure, the inversion will likely break later in the day than usual.

SMOKE IMPACTS: A slight change in the wind pattern will shift smoke back toward the north and west today. This will improve conditions for communities on the east side of the Sierra but bring more smoke from Springville up through Oakhurst, and possibly over to Mammoth. Areas from Three Rivers to the Giant Forest, and the East Fork Kaweah drainage will likely see levels reaching UNHEALTHY to VERY UNHEALTHY at times. For more information on current wildfire smoke impacts in your community, please visit AirNow.gov or fire.airnow.gov. [NOTE FROM THREE RIVERS TOGETHER: For additional information on the air quality in Three Rivers locations, visit Purple Air. A monitor has recently been installed on South Fork.]

EVACUATION NOTICES: The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office has issued Evacuation ORDERS due to current fire conditions for Genasys zones TLC-E094-C, TLC-E094-E, TLC-E094-D, and TLC-E094-B. An evacuation ORDER, also known as a mandatory evacuation, means that all residents and visitors should leave now before the fire reaches the community. If you are unable to evacuate and require assistance, please call 9-1-1. In case of sheltering needs or questions regarding sheltering, please contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767.

The Tulare County Fire Department has also issued Evacuation WARNINGS for zones TLC-E128-B, TLC-E093-A, TLC-E093-B, TLC-E095, TLC-E127-B, and TLC-E128-A. To find your zone, please refer to: protect.genasys.com.

[NOTE FROM THREE RIVERS TOGETHER: Because people have found the Genasys map challenging, the Three Rivers Together team has been creating a map that includes the community boundaries, structures, and familiar landmarks. To view this map, go to https://3rtogether.org/map/.]

FIRE INFORMATION: A Public Information Officer will be at the Three Rivers Village Market daily from 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM to provide fire information and answer questions.

BLM AND PARK CLOSURES: The portion of South Fork Drive in Sequoia National Park and trails accessed from the road, including the Lady Bug and Garfield Grove Trails, are closed until further notice. You can view all Park closure information online at nps.gov/seki . The Bureau of Land Management has also issued a closure of the Case Mountain Extensive Recreation Management Area at blm.gov/press-release.

PUBLIC NOTICE: Wildfires are a no-fly zone for unauthorized aircraft, including drones. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit knowbeforeyoufly.org.

[NOTE FROM THREE RIVERS TOGETHER: The map below reflects the fire’s perimeter when it was at 12,261 acres.]