Size: 23729 
Percent Contained: 30% 

Fire Start: August 29, 2017 

Location: Highway 190, east of Springville 

Cause: Human caused, under investigation 

Total Personnel: 1,689 

Injuries: 5 minor injuries 

Resources: 32 Crews, 8 Helicopters, 118 Engines, 21 Dozers, 13 Water Tenders

Fire Summary: Fire activity was moderate yesterday. The most active part of the fire was the southeast corner near Mountain Aire and Rogers Camp, although the fire did not grow significantly. The fire is east of Bateman Ridge down in the Wilson Creek drainage. The fire perimeter and control lines around Sequoia Crest and Wishon are holding. 
Fire managers feel confident that the lines will hold the fire west and south of those communities. On the northwest side of the fire, crews hiked in to mop up firelines. Some portions of the fire’s edge are inaccessible by ground crews. Aerial observers will monitor them for several days. 
Around three o’clock yesterday afternoon, firefighters initiated firing operations on the southwest side near Upper Rio Vista, working southward toward Cow Mountain. Most of the smoke and increase in acreage today was due to this successful firing operation. 
As a result, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office downgraded the evacuation status of Springville and the surrounding communities (see below). Fire crews will be patrolling and monitoring the firelines tonight.

Evacuations (modified): Tulare County has two levels of evacuations: voluntary and mandatory. A voluntary evacuation means residents should either evacuate or be prepared to do so, should fire conditions worsen. Mandatory evacuations are issued when the fire poses an imminent threat to life and property.

Mandatory: Sequoia Crest, Mountain Aire, Rogers Camp, Pierpoint Springs, Cedar Slope, Camp Nelson, Doyle Springs, Alpine Village, Wishon

Voluntary: Upper Rio Vista, Cow Mountain (Springville area)

Evacuation Center: Porterville College Student Center, 100 E. College Ave., Porterville. Call 661-324-6427 (weekdays) or 800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Area Closures: Sequoia National Forest trails, roads, and lands around the Pier Fire are closed (Closure Order No. 0513-17-34, https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/5548/39662/. CAL FIRE has closed Mountain Home State Forest, and Tulare County has closed Balch Park. All areas are closed until the fire is brought under control. Suppression repair work will take additional time after the fire is contained; recreationists should plan ahead.

Hard Road Closures: The following roads are closed to all traffic:

Highway 190 east of Springville is closed at Upper Rio Vista Road to eastbound traffic.

Highway 190 north of Ponderosa is closed at Forest Road 21S50 to westbound traffic.

Soft Road Closures: The following roads are open only to residents with a photo ID:

Upper Rio Vista Road

Smoke: Information for the levels of smoke in communities affected by the Pier Fire; http://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/2017/Pier#Main

People with respiratory conditions, young children, and elderly people may be susceptible to adverse effects. Air District officials urge residents to follow their doctor’s advice. For more information, see https://www.cdc.gov/features/wildfires/index.html or http://valleyair.org/wildfires.htm

Basic Information

Current as of 9/7/2017, 8:00:40 AM

Incident Type Wildfire

Cause Under Investigation

Date of Origin Tuesday August 29th, 2017 approx. 02:30 AM

Location Highway 190 at Wishon Road 7 miles East of Springville

Incident Commander Mike Minton, CIIMT5 Jeff McLaughlin (TC), Derek Staberg (CalFire TUU)

Current Situation

Total Personnel 1,687

Size 23,729 Acres

Percent of Perimeter Contained 30%

Fuels Involved 

Dormant Brush, Hardwood slash, timber, including areas affected by tree mortality. Fire is located in a heavy timber mortality area. The southern portion of the fire is burning in a location with little to no recorded fire history.

Significant Events 

Light winds and stagnant air flow moderated the intensity of surface fire in the higher elevations. Isolated pockets of fuel were seen smoldering throughout the day at lower elevations. Rollout diminished along steep terrain as fuels are consuming completely.

Outlook

Planned Actions 

Provide structure protection for threatened communities and infrastructure. Construct direct and indirect containment line where feasible. Plan and construct contingency line.

Projected Incident Activity 

A full suppression strategy is to be implemented on the Pier Fire. Values at risk associated with the incident include human safety, private property, and associated improvements, electrical power infrastructure, Giant Sequoia groves, and cultural values. Minimize acres burned on privately owned and tribal lands. Apply tactics on public lands that offer the highest probability of success.

Remarks 

The Voluntary Evacuation Order has been rescinded for the community of Ponderosa.

Current Weather

Weather Concerns 

Partly cloudy with a 10% chance of thunderstorms through 9 pm then mostly clear. Lows 65-68 lower elevations and 55-60 higher elevations. Maximum relative humidity 65-70%. Winds down canyon 2-5 mph