Summary: The Washburn Fire was reported in the afternoon of July 7th, near the Washburn Trail in the Mariposa Grove area of Yosemite National Park. A full initial attack response was dispatched including Yosemite National Park Fire resources and state and local cooperators. California Interagency Incident Management Team 13 assumed command of the fire on Saturday, and will manage the fire as a full suppression fire. Of significant importance is preventing or minimizing fire impacting to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. Firefighting resources will continue to arrive over the coming days.
The fire is burning in difficult terrain with continuous heavy fuels in and around the fire. Significant tree mortality from 2013 - 2015 has left dead standing and dead fallen fuels. This also presents significant safety hazards to firefighters. Fire scars from past fires located approximately one to three miles from the current fire perimeter will assist firefighters in slowing the growth of the fire. Firefighters will continue going direct when safe and will scout and prepare indirect lines.
The fire was active overnight. Today is expected to be hotter and drier than yesterday, with similar fire behavior. The Park Service and Firefighters are proactively protecting the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias. While structure wrap is not being used on the sequoias themselves, additional methods are being used including the removal of heavy and fine fuels around the trees and deploying ground-based sprinkler systems to increase humidity near the trees. Fortunately, the Mariposa Grove has a long history of prescribed burning and studies have shown that these efforts reduce the impacts of high-severity unwanted fire.
The Mariposa Grove was evacuated and remains temporarily closed. Located in the southern portion of Yosemite, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is the largest sequoia grove in Yosemite and is home to over 500 mature giant sequoias. The national park idea is rooted in the Mariposa Grove. In 1864 President Lincoln signed legislation protecting the Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley for "public use, resort, and recreation." For the first time in our nation's history, the federal government set aside scenic natural areas to be protected for the benefit of future generations. Later added to Yosemite National Park in 1906, the Mariposa Grove is a popular destination within the park. For more information, please visit the Yosemite National Park's Mariposa Grove Webpage
Evacuations & Closures: The Wawona Road (Highway 41) is closed from the South Entrance to Henness Ridge Road. Yosemite West remains accessible from the northern side of the Wawona road. The Mariposa Grove are closed until further notice. A map of the evacuation area and current evacuation levels is available at arcg.is/0Hmuq4. An evacuation shelter is set up at the New Life Church located at 5089 Cole Road in Mariposa, CA.
The Rest of the Park Remains Open: All other areas of Yosemite National Park are open. Use Highways 140 or 120 to enter Yosemite. Reservations are still required; visit www.recreation.gov for reservations. Expect smoky conditions within the park. We appreciate the patience of the public as visitors may experience longer waits at the other entrance stations as the south entrance remains closed.
Weather: A warming trend will take place over the fire today and Monday. Hot and dry conditions will persist through at least the end of the week. A full forecast is available at www.weather.gov/hnx.
Current Conditions: Current road, campground, and other information within Yosemite National Park.
Smoke: An interactive smoke map at fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.
Aviation / Drone Restrictions: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) and any private aircraft or drone that violates the TFR could face serious criminal charges. For more information on drones the public can visit theFAA’s website at www.KnowBeforeYouFly.org. “If you fly, we can’t!”