Aspen Fire, July 27, 2013. Photo by Fire Behavior Analyst John Smith. (click to enlarge)
Even though we posted the excellent photo above of the Aspen Fire in our main article about the fire HERE, we wanted to place it here as well, in case you are not keeping up with that fire — which is in California 16 miles south of Yosemite National Park and 5 miles northwest of Huntington Lake. Click the photo to see a larger version. The photo, which we believe is looking toward the northeast, shows Mammoth Pool Reservoir and the steep terrain the firefighters are working in.
The photos below, of a Sikorsky helicopter dropping water and retardant, were also taken on the Aspen Fire. Bob Martinez, a Volunteer in Prevention Photographer for CAL FIRE/Fresno County Fire, took them from Stump Springs Road July 26, 2013.
In 2010 and 2012 Mr. Martinez also sent us photos he took of military helicopters training for wildland fire season.
On the map of the Aspen Fire above, the red line is the perimeter at 1 a.m. July 30; the pink line is from about 24 hours before. On Monday the fire continued to spread on the south and east flanks, and moved over a mile on the north side.
Businesses remain open in the Shaver Lake, Huntington Lake, Lake Thomas Edison, Florence Lake and the Mono Hot Springs areas.
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(UPDATE at 8:10 p.m. PDT, July 29, 2013)
Some of our web site visitors have told us the maps of the Aspen Fire on InciWeb are not very useful to them. So until that changes, we will at least occasionally post a map here that we hope fits the needs of the general public.
In the maps below, the red line is the fire perimeter at 10 p.m. PDT July 28, 2013. The pink line is the perimeter about two days before that.
Map of Aspen Fire at 10 p.m. PDT, July 28, 2013 (click to enlarge)3-D Map of the Aspen Fire, looking northeast at 10 p.m. PDT, July 28, 2013 (click to enlarge)
The fire has burned 11,000 acres. Monday, east winds promoted increased growth along the northern, eastern and southeastern perimeter of the fire. Helicopters worked the southern edge of the fire in the Aspen Creek drainage and other areas of heat. Fixed wing aircraft, including a Very Large Air Tanker (a DC-10) are pre-treating with retardant the Kaiser Creek area.
We have a photo of the DC-10, which is reloading at Santa Maria Air Tanker Base.
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(UPDATE at 7:45 a.m. PDT, July 28, 2013)
Aspen Fire, July 27, 2013 Photo by Fire Behavior Analyst John Smith (click to enlarge)
Over the past two days fire activity has been increasing in the late afternoon on the Aspen Fire when the smoke inversion layer lifts. It is expected to dissipate earlier on Sunday. On Saturday the smoke kept aircraft grounded until 3 p.m. Continue reading “California: Aspen Fire”
In 2010 and 2012 Mr. Martinez also sent us photos he took of military helicopters training for wildland fire season.
