Size: 32,807 acres
Fire Start: August 29, 2017
Containment: 75%
Location: Highway 190, east of Springville
Total Personnel: 1,389
Cause: Human caused, under investigation
Resources: Crews 28, Helicopters 8, Engines 83, Dozers 12, Water Tenders 12
Fire Summary: Last night significant fire activity occurred on the fire. All of this was internal to the perimeter and much of it was visible to the public. Visible fire areas were; Highway 190 below Pierpoint Springs involving a couple acres with some tree torching and firing off of the dozer line near Redwood Road. Another two hundred yards of control line, moving to the west on the southern portion of the fire near Pine Flat Road, was gained. The entire top portion of the fire perimeter was inactive last evening.
Today, crews will initiate firing operation on the northwestern side of the reservation on the ridge above Blue Canyon as well as the dozer lines east of the 2¼ Road. The goal is to remove unburned fuels between the body of the fire and the communities of the Tule River Indian Reservation. Smoke and fire from this operation will likely be visible to local residents.
Favorable weather conditions for firing have been limited, presenting day and night crews with a narrow window in which to complete hand and aerial firing. As a result, westward progress is slow but steady. Due to the priority of protecting structures and communities on the reservation, firefighters are currently designating the majority of resources to the southern portion of the fire. Today’s weather conditions present opportunity for effective firing operations.
Crews continue to identify and address hazard trees and debris on the roadways. Firefighters will continue to patrol and mop-up containment lines. Anticipate smoke throughout the interior and perimeter of the fire due to pockets of unburned vegetation.
Weather: Mostly sunny with the highs between 72-82 below 3,000 feet, and between 62-72 in higher elevations. Minimum relative humidity will be 32-40% below 3,000 feet and 42-52% above 3,000 feet. Downslope winds will be between 1-4 mph through 0800, becoming upslope/up canyon 3-6 mph with gusts up to 15 mph after 1200.
Evacuations: Voluntary evacuations will remain in place for residence in the communities listed below. Returning residents MUST show proof of residency to posted law enforcement to gain access. Examples of accepted documentation are as follows: driver’s license with residency address, utility bill with name and residency address, or PO Box documentation from the U.S. Post Office. The following communities are under voluntary evacuation: Alpine Village, Camp Nelson, Cedar Slope, Doyle Springs, Mountain Aire, Rogers Camp, Pierpoint Springs, Sequoia Crest, and Wishon.
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; recreationalists should plan ahead.
Road Closures:
Highway 190 is closed to ALL public between County Road 208 and Pierpoint Springs.
Highway 190 between Upper Rio Vista Road and County Road 208 is a hard closure for nonresidents and a soft closure for residents with photo ID and proof of residency.
Highway 190 between Pierpoint Springs and Ponderosa is a hard closure for nonresidents and a soft closure for residents with photo ID and proof of residency.
Residents returning to Doyle Springs and Wishon are able to access Highway 190 at Upper Rio Vista and continue along County Road 208. All other residents must use the Western Divide Highway through Pondersoa to access the area. Residents must show proof of residency to law enforcement located at Upper Rio Vista Road and at Forest Road 21S50.
Smoke:
Daily updated 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 9/16/2017, 8:06:48 AM
Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Human (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, California Interagency Incident Management Team 5
Current Situation
Total Personnel 1,389
Size 32,807 Acres
Percent of Perimeter Contained 75%
Estimated Containment Date Wednesday September 20th, 2017 approx. 12:00 AM
Fuels Involved
Primary fuels are dormant brush, hardwood slash, and closed timber litter. The fire is located in a heavy tree mortality area. The southern portion of the fire is burning in a location with little to no recorded fire history.
Significant Events
Another cool and moist mid-September night limited fire behavior to recently fired indirect lines and interior island of unburnt fuel; mostly in the form of creeping and smoldering.
Outlook
Planned Actions
Provide structure defense as appropriate and protect infrastructure. Hold, improve, and mop up completed line. Perform firing, as conditions allow, to secure containment line and values at risk.
Projected Incident Activity
Remarks
The Pier Fire has identified an Initial attack Package to be made available should the need arise.
Current Weather
Weather Concerns
Mostly sunny with highs from 72-82 below 3,000 elevation and 62-72 above 3,000 elevation. Minimum relative humidity, 32-40% below 3,000 elevation and 42-52% at higher elevations. Wind downslope 1-4 mph through 0800 then becoming upslope/upcanyon ridge wind 3-6 mph with gusts to 15 mph after 1200 hrs.
