10:17 a.m. PDT Sept. 15, 2021
The KNP Complex of fires more than doubled in size Tuesday, growing by more than 4,000 acres to bring the combined size of the Paradise and Colony Fires up to 7,039 acres.
The southernmost blaze, Paradise, is now well established on the north side of the Generals Highway and the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River.
To see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the KNP Complex of fires, including the most recent, click HERE.
There is concern that the giant sequoia trees could be more vulnerable to fire than usual during this drought and the very low fuel moistures. During a Tuesday evening mapping flight the Colony Fire was about a half mile west of the Giant Forest grove but it has to cross the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River to get there. The Paradise Fire was a little over a mile south of the grove.
The incident management team predicts that by the end of the day on Thursday the two fires will have merged at Generals Highway. The Colony fire will likely run uphill in Yuca Creek to the north and uphill to the Giant Forest of sequoias.
The weather is not in favor of the firefighters on Wednesday. There is no rain in the forecast and good ventilation will favor fire growth. Afternoon and evening winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 40 mph are expected. A cooling trend will take place beginning Thursday and continue through the weekend.
6:47 p.m. PDT Sept. 14 2021
Tuesday afternoon the KNP Complex of fires, comprised of the Colony and Paradise Fires, was mapped at a total of 5,861 acres.
An Evacuation Order, meaning evacuate now, is in effect for the community of Sycamore within Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park. Other areas are under a warning that they may have to evacuate. The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office is maintaining a map showing these areas.
In addition to spreading to the north, the Paradise Fire has grown to the south, crossed Paradise Ridge, and is backing down the other side, according to the Deputy Fire Management Officer for the park who participated in a briefing in a community meeting Tuesday evening.
An incident base will be established near Horse Creek Campground and will include a mobile fire retardant plant for helicopters. This is 11 air miles southwest of the Paradise Fire off of Generals Highway.
10:56 a.m. PDT Sept. 14, 2021
Two lightning-caused wildfires in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park that started September 9 in southern California were very active Monday, more than doubling in size. The KNP Complex is comprised of two fires that were previously separated by the Generals Highway, 198, and the Middle Fork Kaweah River. The Paradise Fire is on the south side and the Colony Fire is on Colony Peak north of the river and the highway.
Firefighters reported Monday night that the Paradise Fire which had been spreading north, had spotted across the river where the highway leaves the river and heads uphill to the north. At 3:41 a.m. Tuesday sensors on satellites detected significant heat north of the river.
Tuesday morning the Incident Management Team said the two fires had been mapped at a total of 3,024 acres.
There is concern that with the two fires moving closer to the Giant Forest and the huge giant sequoia trees which are generally resistant to fires and depend on them to open the cones to disperse seeds, that they could be damaged again by these very intense fires burning during a drought which has led to low fuel moistures.
“The last few years fires have been burning so intense, especially in California, that these fires are getting into sequoia groves and doing major damage as they did last year,” said Fire Information Officer Mark Ruggiero.
Late Monday night the fires appeared from the satellite sensing to be less than two miles from some of the groves. However satellite fire detections can over estimate the extent of a very intense, rapidly spreading fire.
The fires are in steep, densely-forested terrain. The Type 2 Incident Management Team (IMT), Rocky Mountain Team Black led by Incident Commander Leif Mathieson, says the Paradise Fire has thus far proved wholly inaccessible from the ground.
Aircraft have been very active with water and retardant drops on the Paradise Fire in a mostly futile attempt to slow the spread.
Ground crews have been able to access the Colony Fire, but the area is heavily affected by tree mortality, and standing dead trees are a major safety concern. Air resources have been extremely active on this fire as well.
The strategy on both fires, the IMT said, is full suppression.
