Sierra National Forest Now Impacted by Tehipite fire

A slow-moving fire burning for about eight weeks in Kings Canyon National Park has now spread across the park boundary and into the neighboring Sierra National Forest.

The Tehipite fire was started by a lightning strike in mid-July, rangers believe, and has been creeping and smoldering with occasional flareups in a mixed forest of conifer, fir and oak trees in the Tehipite Valley area of the park. It is burning in steep terrain at elevations between 4,000 and 8,000 feet.

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As of today, the fire’s area was estimated at 1,603 acres — about 400 acres larger than a week ago, said Deb Schweizer, a fire information specialist for the park. About 10 acres of the fire is on the Sierra National Forest land, in the John Muir Wilderness.

So far, no structures or property are threatened, but Sierra National Forest officials are taking steps to protect a cabin in Dear Meadow. Firefighters are simply monitoring the fire’s growth with periodic helicopter flights, a pair of rangers on the ground and from the Buck Rock Lookout in the Sequoia National Forest.

Two trails in the park remain closed: the trail between Simpson Meadow and the park boundary and the Blue Canyon Trail at the park boundary.

Check out the fire with the Buck Rock Lookout webcam.

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