HR.5631 – The Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act is moving through committees in the House of Representatives. This is an extremely important piece of legislation for Federal wildland firefighters, who are actually not classified as being firefighters at all. Most of us who have worked for Federal agencies have been classified … Read more
In this video we talk with Danny Cluck about factors that influence the survival of conifer trees that have been damaged by wildfire. I first got to know Danny in the mid-’90s when we were both working for the U.S. Forest Service. I was on a tree-marking crew and he was a biologist who would … Read more
Here are images of the Alisal Fire based on an infrared overflight at 9:30pm on on October 13. The fire spread about 2.5 miles to the west since it was mapped 24 hours earlier on October 12. Yellow shows scattered heat, in areas that are generally cooling off. Orange/red fill shows areas which were burning … Read more
We are covering the Alisal Fire in Santa Barbara County. If this is your first visit to our site, please check out the About The Lookout page. This site provides wildfire intelligence and commentary. We are not affiliated with any organized fire department — this is unofficial information collated from public data sources. If you … Read more
KNP COMPLEX *** 7:00am on October 11 – Ryan Stephens: The fire grew by one acre last night. Unless conditions change, today will be my last day covering fire progression for the KNP Complex. *** 9:50pm on October 10 – IR Interpreter’s Log: MAP KEY: RED perimeter line to WHITE perimeter line showing one acre … Read more
KNP COMPLEX *** 7am on October 8 – Ryan Stephens: With a heavy heart we’re reposting a special announcement that came out from the KNP Complex yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved. *** 9:45pm on October 7 – Special announcement from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks *** October 7 … Read more
KNP COMPLEX By Ryan Stephens ***10:30am on October 6 – Operational update reported slopover near North Fork Drive in the area of Advance. Looking southeast toward Advance (lower left) and Three Rivers (center right). Today’s Ops Map ***10:00am on October6 – Today’s operational update video from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. ***9:50pm … Read more
KNP COMPLEX Intel & Commentary by Chuck Ervin ***** Maps & Captions Ryan Stephens ***11:30am on October 10 ~ Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks KNP Complex Facebook Update: A Virtual Community Meeting will be held at 7pm tonight at https://www.facebook.com/SequoiaKingsNPS/live_videos Active fire behavior was observed over most of the fire yesterday, making a run as … Read more
KNP COMPLEX Maps and commentary by Ryan Stephens *** 7am on October 4 ~ IR interpreters log book appears to have inconsistencies. Time and date for the flight last night is unreliable/unknown. Overview looking northeast over the KNP Complex: The Key in the upper left corner of the map explains color shading in regards to … Read more
KNP COMPLEX Maps and commentary by Ryan Stephens Overview looking northeast over the KNP Complex: The Key in the upper left corner of the map explains color shading in regards to heat intensity within the KNP Complex perimeter. Red dots show isolated heat. White perimeter line around the fire was yesterday’s fire perimeter. Giant Sequoia Groves are … Read more
KNP COMPLEX Maps and commentary by Ryan Stephens *** 9:32pm on October 1 ~ IR interpreter’s log Overview looking northeast over the KNP Complex: The Key in the upper left corner of the map explains color shading in regards to heat intensity within the KNP Complex perimeter. Red dots show isolated heat. White perimeter … Read more
KNP COMPLEX Maps and commentary by: Ryan Stephens ***Noon on October 1 ~ KNP Complex Weather Update by Incident Meteorologist Jason Straub Watch the weather update here. ***10am on October 1 ~ Morning briefing video from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Watch today’s briefing here. ***9:30pm on September 30 ~ Sequoia and Kings Canyon … Read more
KNP evening update 500-600 acre spotfire reported across the north fork of the Kaweah RIver ***9:30pm on September 30 ~ Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks KNP Complex Facebook Update KNP Complex Fire Announcement: Ground and air resources are currently responding to a 500-600 acre spot fire that has crossed the north fork of the … Read more
SOUTHERN SIERRA FIRES MAP KEY: The RED shaded areas at center of the map are our current Windy and KNP fire perimeters, The Tule River Reservation is shaded BROWN, Giant Sequoia Groves are shaded LIGHT GREEN, the past 10 years of Rx fires are shaded DARK BLUE, and LIGHT BLUE shows the past 20 years … Read more
WINDY FIRE Commentary by Sequoia National Forest – Lookout Maps and Captions by Ryan Stephens LOOKOUT MAP KEY: Windy Fire footprint – RED PERIMETER LINE to WHITE LINE shows approximately 24 hours of growth, RED DOTS are isolated heat sources, Tule River Reservation is SHADED BROWN, Giant Sequoia Groves are SHADED GREEN, all of the … Read more
The Lookout went to Lassen Park with National Park Service fire and public affairs staff to bring you a look at post-fire conditions. Here’s our video:
7am on September 27, 2021 – Weather update for the Southern Sierra Fires Below is a Tweet from an Incident Meteorologist regarding a weather shift that could have significant impacts on the South Sierra fires: https://twitter.com/psuweatherman/status/1442478180581863429?s=20 WINDY FIRE Commentary by Sequoia National Forest ***** Maps and Captions by Ryan Stephens 7am on September 27, 2021 … Read more
***September 26 at 11:30am, Commentary from Chuck Ervin Windy mid-day update. While I was writing on KNP this morning, the Windy was making a major push up toward Tobias Peak. About 4:30am the fire overran the communication site at Tobias peak, visible on the remote cameras stationed there. It appears from the timelapse footage that … Read more
Here is an updated virtual tour of the #FawnFire for September 26. This shows heat mapping from September 25 at 9:45pm. The fire was active yesterday on the north flank, backing down toward Shasta Lake. Southern parts of the fire did not spread.
Here is a guest photo essay from Darin McQuoid. He saw a post we did last week on the fires in the Southern Sierra where we mentioned tree mortality, so he sent us these great photos. We welcome submissions like this. Thanks, Darin! December 12, 2015: Tree mortality from bark beetle. Castle Rock and Paradise … Read more
WINDY FIRE Commentary by Chuck Ervin ***** Maps and Captions by Ryan Stephens 11am update from a knowledgeable local via wildfireintel.org: Pretty quiet this morning in Pine Flat. Fire made it to the northwest part of the community near Flying T and Rocking K yesterday, but there were no issues. Tons of resources remain in … Read more
KNP COMPLEX Commentary by Chuck Ervin ***** Maps and Captions by Ryan Stephens Overview Map – IR Flight – September 23 – 11:11pm: Overview of 24 hour fire growth looking east. MAP LAYERS: Giant Sequoia Groves are Shaded GREEN. The area between red and white lines around the perimeter of the fire show roughly … Read more
Good morning, Our latest intel from the Fawn Fire is infrared mapping flights from 9:40pm on September 23. The white line is where fire was at noon on September 23. Yellow line is 1pm, first red line is 6pm, and outermost line from 9:40pm. Here are still images of the same information from the video. … Read more
Here is information on the Fawn Fire, burning northeast of Redding. General Fire Location The fire slowed down significantly this afternoon under a heavy aerial attack that had at least 12 tankers working at the peak of the firefight. Here is an update from NorthOps — the regional fire coordination center at the Redding … Read more
KNP Complex Commentary by Chuck Ervin ***** Maps and Captions by Ryan Stephens: Today’s Operations Map Alexander Pincus IR interpreters log, September 22 at 11:55pm: Observed perimeter growth along the majority of the western and northern sides of the perimeter. Several smaller fingers advancing past the perimeter to the east and south. MAP … Read more
Windy Fire – September 22, 2021 Let’s take a look at today’s briefing map: _______________ Maps and Captions by Ryan Stephens with commentary by Chuck Ervin Ryan Stephens: IR was back in the air last night and today we have the maps to prove it! So far, the fire has reached into five giant sequoia … Read more
9/21/2021 at 6am KNP COMPLEX Today’s Briefing Map IR Interpreter’s log Jeremy Hurd: Minor growth to perimeter, with the most significant in the SSW areas. Center of the perimeter continues to show some isolated heat sources as the scattered heat continues to withdraw toward the outer perimeters. Below are maps of the KNP Complex burning … Read more
9/20/2021 at 6am Briefing Map KNP Complex – Maps by Ryan Stephens, with commentary by Chuck Ervin. Below are maps of the KNP Complex burning in Sequoia National Park made from infrared data captured at 2306PDT (11:06pm) on September 19. IR Interpreter Alex Pincus log: Significant growth in the NNW section. Perimeter slightly grew to … Read more
9/19/2021 at 7:30am – Maps from Ryan Stephens Below are maps of the KNP Complex burning in Sequoia National Park made from infrared data captured at 2350PDT on September 18. IR Interpreter Alex Pincus log: -Imagery shows the fire advancing to the East NE and has reached the Wuksachi Lodge and crossed Clover Creek in … Read more
6:00am 9/18/2021 – Chuck Erwin KNP Complex KNP Complex IR this morning shows a major extension of the Colony Fire (both fires are well joined at this point) up through Marble Canyon. Then over the Generals Highway, impacting Red Fir and Wuksachi. Ash Mountain RAWS shows that the usual down slope, down canyon winds – … Read more