[pct-l] Monday, July 7 Clover Fire Update

[Donna "L-Rod" Saufley]

FIRE RESTRICTIONS:  On Thursday, July 3rd the Inyo National Forest joined the Sequoia National Forest and Bureau of Land Management-Bakersfield Field Office by implementing fire restrictions due to the HIGH FIRE DANGER! 

Campfires, portable gas stoves or barbecues are only allowed in campgrounds, developed recreation areas or fire exempt areas.  

Pacific Crest Trail/Area Closure

A temporary fire area closure has been issued through July 8, 2008, to maximize fire suppression efforts and to provide for public health and safety.  The closure affects portions of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).    Alternate hiking routes around the fire are available to connect to the PCT from Kennedy Meadows to Monache Meadow which includes Jackass Trail (35E13), Albanita Trail (35E06), Jackass Peak (35E03), Snake Creek Trail to Monache Jeep Trail (34E38).  Trails will be signed “PCT Detour”.  A trail guard remains on duty at Kennedy Meadows Please contact the Kernville Ranger Station at (760) 376-3781 or visit the Forest website at:  www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia
for more specific information on the closure.

KENNEDY MEADOWS CAMPGROUND and the fire safe areas are now open to the public.  The temporary fire area closure remains in effect. Do not enter the hazardous Clover Fire perimeter! 

Clover Fire Activity
Location:  Sequoia and Inyo National Forests in the South Sierra Wilderness, north of Kennedy Meadows and south of Beck Meadow, California.
Acres: 15,300 acres – 70% contained.  Containment expected on Tuesday, July 15th.

New Status:   An aerial reconnaissance of the fire on Sunday identified only three interior smokes.  Two of these were well within the interior and were considered no threat to control lines.  The third smoke was a snag burning within control lines at the head of Tunawee Canyon at the southeast corner of the fire.  All control lines on the Clover Fire held.  Sunday, crews began the process of hauling equipment out of the fire area.

Monday’s operation will include placing 6 helitack crew members near the snag in Tunawee Canyon to deal with that smoke and rehabilitate fire lines in the area.  Firefighters on the northern containment line will continue monitoring the area and mopping up within 200 feet of the line.   “The fire is looking just fine” reported George Johnson, Planning Operations Chief.  Fire Behavior Analyst Tobin Kelley looks for a decreasing threat of fire spread as the wind speeds decrease. Air support resources are available for sharing with the Piute Fire, in addition to monitoring for smoke and fire suppression activities on the Clover Fire. 

Command of the fire is under a Northern Rockies Incident Management Team led by Incident Commanders Diane Hutton and Wayne Cook. 

Committed Resources:
•	 3 helicopters
•	 69 total personnel 

Monday’s Predicted Weather
Temperature: 78 to 84° F 
Winds:  On the slopes and in the valleys, winds will be light, downslope in the morning and upslope in the afternoon.  On the ridgetops the wind will be shifting to the East with speeds of 10 to 13 miles per hour and gusts up to 20 miles per hour.
Relative Humidity: 6 to 12%.

Contacts:			    
Fire Information Line:  760-376-4350  www.inciweb.org 
(due to heavy fire activity, inciweb may not be accessible.  cloverwfu at gmail.com  

Sequoia National Forest: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/news/
Inyo National Forest:  http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/

Important Internet Links:

View South Sierra fire areas by Webcam  http://sierrafire.cr.usgs.gov/swfrs/Pages/WebCam.html 

Real Time Smoke Monitoring
http://www.satguard.com/USFS/chart_new.asp?Get=1&UnitID=45&CustID=2&sDate=6-21-2008 

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