Single Publication

Start Date: 9/9

Cause: Lightning

Size: 97,554

Percent Containment: 88

Helicopters:  9

Engines: 36

Crews: 13

Dozers: 7

Total Personnel: 798

CURRENT CONDITIONS: The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office will remove all Evacuation Orders and Warnings for the Windy Fire effective at noon today (Oct. 13). Sheriff Boudreaux will remove all Evacuation Orders and Warnings associated with the Windy Fire for the communities of Mountain Aire, Rogers Camp, Upper and Lower Peppermint, Camp Whitsett, R Ranch, Johnsondale, Sugarloaf, Sugarloaf Sawmill, Sugarloaf Mountain Park, Ponderosa, Idlewild, Balance Rock, Poso Park, Quaking Aspen, Camp Nelson, Pierpoint, Coy Flat, Cedar Slope, Alpine Village, Sequoia Crest, McNallys, California Hot Springs, Posey, Panoramic Heights, and Gold Ledge. These areas will include all structures, residences, and businesses.

See the Windy Evacuation Area Map at https://tularecounty.ca.gov/emergencies/.

The Windy Fire Area, Trails, and Roads Closure established by the Sequoia National Forest, Giant Sequoia National Monument, and Western Divide Ranger District remains in effect. Many hazards exist in the fire area: fire weakened trees, smoldering stump holes, and rocks or debris that could fall from steep slopes onto trails and into roadways. These pose an immediate safety concern to the public long after a fire reaches containment. Only authorized Forest and fire personnel are allowed inside the closed areas. Roadblocks remain at Western Divide Highway (M107) near Ponderosa, M99 at Lloyd Meadow Road, and Parker Pass (M50) at Parker Meadow above California Hot Springs.

Under the current Forest Closure Order, the west side of the Sequoia National Forest is closed to recreationon M50 where it reaches the Forest boundary near California Hot Springs. The southern edge ties in with the northern perimeter of the French Fire closed area near White River. The northern edge ties in with the Castle Fire closed area near Ponderosa. M99, coming from Kernville, is closed near Johnsondale Bridge. See a full description of the Forest Order at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/7841/67270/. For the current Windy Fire Area, Trails, and Roads Closure map, visit  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/photos/CASQF/2021-09-12-1443-Windy/related_files/pict20210909-165257-0.jpeg

Please continue to monitor fire updates, Inciweb, and the Sequoia National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia  for current status regarding Forest Closures.

Drivers should be mindful of fire personnel on the ground and fire equipment in the area. Crews continue to remove hazard trees and suppress fire near containment lines and in sequoia groves. 

SEQUOIA STATUS UPDATE: The Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument announced Tuesday that the Windy Fire burned into 11 giant sequoia groves­­: eight within the Forest, two on the Tule River Indian Reservation, and one shared across agency boundaries. All but four mature giant sequoias in the Starvation Creek Grove burned in a high-severity fire; recent wildfires and fuels reduction efforts reduced fire severity in three other groves. Four other groves will be evaluated once fire hazards decrease. For details about individual groves, historic structures, and Forest Service infrastructure that were lost, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/sequoia/news-events.

WEATHER CONDITIONS: A warming and drying trend is forecast to last until Saturday. Relative humidity could drop to single digits by Saturday. 

TULARE COUNTY RESIDENT INFORMATION: Residents requesting information on the status of their property can call the Tulare County Information Hotline at (559) 802-9790. Affected property owners should complete the September Lightning Fire Information Form online at: https://bit.ly/3ETdZjI. Residents can sign up to receive county emergency notifications by registering at AlertTC.com. 

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