Single Publication

Acorn Fire: 5 acres - 100% containment

Packsaddle Fire: 47 acres - 100% containment    

Long Fire: 8,908 acres - 0% containment

Trout Fire: 14,753 acres - 0% containment

Total Personnel: 834

Current Situation: The Acorn Fire and Packsaddle Fire have been declared 100% contained. This achievement highlights the dedication of all involved. Operations to fully contain the Trout Fire and Long Fire are ongoing. On these fires the strategy has remained the same since day one: aggressive full suppression. To help accomplish this, a fleet of 13 helicopters assigned to the incident is providing logistical support and water drops to firefighters on the ground.

Trout Fire: The Trout Fire, which earlier in the incident grew to the east, is now burning to the northwest and southwest. This is the result of changes in weather, vegetation types, and terrain. Saturday’s winds shifted and pushed the fire southwest into Machine Creek. The bowl-shaped terrain and thick vegetation created intense fire behavior, and air tankers dropped retardant on a ridgeline east of Round Meadow. Around Kennedy Meadows, the use of masticators—large tractors able to grind up brush—sped up the construction of contingency line. The construction and strengthening of the Kennedy Meadows contingency line will continue, moving northward toward Bitter Creek and Lost Creek. Crews will also remain on Sherman Pass Rd., strategically burning when necessary to keep the fire from crossing to the north.

Long Fire: Saturday was a successful day on the Long Fire. Crews have completed handline construction along the entire southern perimeter, from South Fork Kern River on the west to beyond Chimney Basin Road on the east. On the northern perimeter, retardant line continues to hold the fire and with favorable morning winds, crews will work along the fire’s edge. Crews are extending handline construction around the northeast head of the fire. Today, another hotshot crew will be flown in to aid the suppression effort on the northwest, building control line around the head and toward the South Fork Kern River. Other crews will be working in that area strengthening existing control lines and containing a small spot fire that occurred just south of the main perimeter Saturday afternoon. 

Acorn Fire and Packsaddle Fire: Saturday evening the SQF Lightning Incident Commander announced the successful containment of both the Acorn Fire and Packsaddle Fire. 

Weather & Air Quality: A persistent weather pattern is forecasted for the next several days. No rainfall is expected on either fire. Temperatures will remain higher than average and relative humidity will approach critically low levels. A daily smoke outlook is produced for the areas and communities affected by the 2024 SQF Lightning fires (tinyurl.com/452x2uzr).

Forest Closures & Restrictions: Sequoia National Forest lands, roads, trails, and recreation sites around the Trout, Long, and Packsaddle Fires are temporarily closed under Forest Order No. 0513-24-12. Fire restrictions are also in effect under Forest Order No. 0513-24-10. Both orders, maps, and accompanying appendices can be found on the Forest’s “Forest Orders” web page: tinyurl.com/2en2d36k.

Evacuations: Tulare County evacuation warnings are in effect for zones TLC-E274-B and TLC-E261-B, the area north of Canebrake Road, south of Sacatar Trail, west of Inyo County line, east of the South Fork and Kern Rivers.