Each year, Yosemite plans a variety of fire management projects such as prescribed fires and mechanical thinning projects throughout the park. These, along with natural lightning caused fires, round out the park's strategy of managing this natural process.
Please note that all projects are predicted on weather conditions and air quality considerations. Here are the projects we have planned for this year:
Prescribed Fire Projects
- Proposed date - May 2016:"Soupbowl" - located between the South Entrance and Wawona. The objective of this fire is to create defensible space protection to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias as well as to the community of Wawona. This fire encompasses two segments of approximately 400 acres each.
- Proposed dates - Spring or Fall 2016 (based on fuel moisture levels): Bishop Creek (Rail Creek area and near Yosemite West).This fire unit is approximately 1,000 acres.
- Proposed date - Fall 2016: Mariposa Grove (upper grove area). The objective of this fire is to protect the giant sequoias and continue ongoing forest restoration. This fire unit is approximately 82 acres.
- Proposed date - Fall 2016: Yosemite West area (south of community and near Henness Ridge).The objective of this fire is to create defensible space near the community of Yosemite West and near the NatureBridge campus. This fire unit is approximately 100 acres.
- Proposed date - Fall 2016: Ahwahnee Meadow. This unit is approximately 62 acres.
Fuel Thinning Projects
- Proposed date - Spring and Fall 2016: Yosemite Valley [Ahwahnee Meadow, Sentinel Beach and Yellow Pines area] (roadside thinning and pile burning)
- Proposed date - Spring and Fall 2016: Crane Flat [near fire look-out] (roadside thinning pile burning)
- Proposed date - Spring 2016: Wawona (housing/community area). Yosemite is beginning a five year program of thinning interior National Park Service lands within the community of Wawona.
- Proposed date - Spring and Fall 2016: Wawona Road between South Entrance and Wawona (roadside thinning and pile burning)
- Proposed date - Spring 2016: Mariposa Grove Road (pile burning)
- Proposed date - Fall 2016: Yosemite West (pile burning)
- Proposed date - Fall 2016: Foresta (pile burning)
