NEWS RELEASE- Sequoia National Park to Reopen Thursday, October 1

Mineral King will remain closed for the season and some wilderness closures will be in place

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks News Release For Immediate Release                                Contact: Sintia Kawasaki-Yee, Public Affairs Officer Media Contact: (559) 679-2866 E-mail: seki_public_affairs@nps.gov   Reference Number: 8553-2032 Sequoia National Park to Reopen Thursday, October 1 Mineral King will remain closed for the season and some wilderness closures will be in place SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, California September 30, 2020– Sequoia National Park will reopen on Thursday, October 1 as the evacuation warning related to the SQF Complex has been lifted for most of Three Rivers, CA. This reopening includes the Generals Highway from the Ash Mountain entrance station into Sequoia National Park to Highway 180 in Kings Canyon, and national park areas and trails along this route, including the Giant Forest. Exceptions are the Mineral King area and some wilderness lands, which will remain closed due to wildfire concerns, and facilities that are closed due to the pandemic. Sequoia National Forest also remains closed. Sequoia National Park closed on September 15 in response to the Castle Fire on the SQF Complex. Many park staff were evacuated from the area, and for visitor and resource protection, park managers decided to close the park. The SQF Complex has now grown to over 152,000 acres. Air quality continues to range from moderate to unhealthy for all, and visitors should take that into consideration when planning a trip. Visit our Air Quality Information web page for more information: www.nps.gov/seki/learn/nature/airqualityinfo.htm. Potwisha and Lodgepole Campgrounds in Sequoia National Park will reopen on Saturday, October 3 by reservation only. Azalea Campground in Kings Canyon National Park will open for the winter season on Thursday, October 1 with a limited number of first come, first served sites. Concession services including lodging, market and gift shop will open on Thursday, October 1. For details and information visit www.visitsequoia.com. For detailed information about current conditions, air quality, and smoke impacts, please visit our Current Conditions web page: www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/conditions.htm. For updated 24-hour road and weather conditions for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, please call 559-565-3341, press 1 and press 1 again. Updated information is also available on the park's website at www.nps.gov/seki. Area closure map for Sequoia National Park beginning 10/1/2020.  - NPS - About Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks These two parks, which lie side by side in the southern Sierra Nevada in Central California, preserve prime examples of nature's size, beauty, and diversity. Nearly 2 million visitors from across the U.S. and the world visit these parks to see the world's largest trees (by volume), grand mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, the highest point in the lower 48 states, and more. Learn more at http://www.nps.gov/seki. - ### - Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks  47050 Generals Highway Three Rivers, CA 93271 559-565-3341 | www.nps.gov/seki STAY CONNECTED ‌ ‌ ‌

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 47050 Generals Highway, Three Rivers, CA 93271

Mineral King / Silver City / Cabin Cove Downgraded to Voluntary Evacuation Warning

 From the Tulare County Sheriff's Office, 1:00 p.m. September 29, 2020

SEQUOIA FIRE UPDATE: Sheriff Downgrades Some Evacuation Orders & Removes Others from Warning List

Sheriff Boudreaux has downgraded the following areas from an Evacuation Order to a Voluntary Evacuation Warning:

-Silver City

-Mineral King

-Remainder of South Fork Drive

-Residents on Blue Ridge Drive

An Evacuation Warning means people living in the area are able to return to their homes, but should still be ready to evacuate should fire conditions change. These areas will continue to have check points and residents with proof of residency will be allowed to enter the area.

Areas REMOVED from Evacuation Warning List:

-Three Rivers area, including but not limited to, areas of Three Rivers, South Fork Drive (below Conley Bridge), south of Heidi Drive and Cherokee Oaks

-Balch Park, including Bear Creek to Rancheria Fire Road and Balch Park Road to Blue Ridge Drive

All remaining Evacuation Orders and Evacuation Warnings remain in place. Crews continue to work and travel in the area. Please do not travel into these communities, as extra traffic can impact the ability for crews to quickly get in and out of the fire area.

As residents return to their homes, please be sure to arrange for your animals that may be in a shelter to return home. You can reach out to Tulare County Animal Services to make those arrangements.

Reminder that the Sequoia Kings National Park remains closed to visitors, and the Sequoia National Forest remains closed to all visitors.

SQF Complex Fire Update

Things are looking better for the SQF Complex Fire, now 50% contained as of this morning (Monday, September 28). The north flank of the fire is located about 9-10 miles south of the Mineral King Valley, and is progressing very slowly due to the terrain.  A Silver City resident sent this note today: "I just received a text from a firefighter friend who was sent up to Mineral King over the weekend. He said things were looking really good; the fire is staying away from us. This is great news! On a side note, this was his first trip up the hill. He is smitten with the beauty and wants to go back."

The Mineral King Road is still closed to all traffic from the Oak Grove Bridge to the end of the road at East Mineral King, but we're hoping for access soon so owners can prepare their cabins for the winter.

To follow the latest news on the SQF Complex Fire, click on this link which gives a lot of detailed and updated information:

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7048

Brief videos from CalFire Tulare County and U.S. Forest Service - Sequoia National Forest are posted in our Mineral King Facebook Group (you must have a Facebook account to view).

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MineralKing

Mineral King, Silver City, Cabin Cove Under Mandatory Evacuation

 Friends,

At 2 PM today (September 18, 2020), the Tulare County Sheriff's Office issued a Mandatory Evacuation notice for Mineral King and Silver City. The CHP is blocking the Mineral King Road outside of the park. In conjunction with the evacuation order from Tulare County, the Superintendent has issued a closure order to the Mineral King area - including residents. I hope you used the voluntary evacuation time to tidy up your affairs.

I am hopeful that our recent wildfires and prescribed fires will provide an effective barrier to a wildfire becoming out of control in the MK Valley. I anticipate when the closure and evacuation order are canceled we will move to winter operations, precluding visitors and recreation for the remainder of 2020. For now, the Cold Springs water system is being shut down to protect infrastructure.

Based on the recommendation from the Cal Fire team and under mandatory evacuation orders before you reach the park, I am not in a position to permit any access at this time. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks,

Dave Fox

Sequoia District Ranger

559-565-3710 office

Mineral King Road Closed Due to Wildfire

Note: Cabin owners are allowed access to their personal property.  If you drive up, be sure and bring BOTH the old (last year) and new lock codes, as the locks may not have been changed yet.

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Fire Information Office Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks News Release For Immediate Release Contact: Perri Spreiser Fire Information Officer Phone Number: 559-565-3129 E-mail: perri_spreiser@nps.gov   Reference Number: 8550-2026 Sequoia National Park Implements Closure of Generals Highway  Tall tree with red bark reaches far into the clouded sky. NPS/Soto SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. September 13, 2020 – Sequoia National Park implements an immediate road closure of the Generals Highway from Highway 198 in Three Rivers to the Giant Forest Museum starting at 6 am on Monday, September 14, 2020. The immediate partial park closure is in direct relation to the SQF Complex currently burning south and west of the park. Generals Highway beginning in the gateway community of Three Rivers, through the Ash Mountain Entrance Station to the Giant Forest Museum will be closed through the duration of fire activity in this region. Visitors will still be able to access Sequoia National Park through the Big Stump Entrance Station, on Highway 180 from Fresno, to view the sequoia trees at this time. “Our number one priority is public and employee safety. It is crucial to take care of our staff and our gateway community of Three Rivers.” Acting Superintendent Lee Taylor, “With this partial park closure, it is our intention to reduce possible evacuation complexity of the Three Rivers community by reducing the amount of visitors in the area.” We understand this is a stressful situation and Sequoia National Park is a major attraction in the region. Park managers are being mindful to the welfare to our staff, community and partners as well as our commitment to the public to provide a safe environment. The decision to close Generals Highway will reduce complexity if an evacuation is ordered for Three Rivers. In the closure of this section of Generals Highway, Potwisha Campground will also be closed and all reservations will be cancelled and refunded. The Giant Forest, including General Sherman Tree will remain open at this time but expect the Crescent Meadow Road, which includes Tunnel Log, Tharp’s Log and Moro Rock, to be closed. Public access to Mineral King Road is also closed. Park managers will reassess daily and additional closures may be implemented. For additional information on the SQF Complex, please visit inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7048 For air quality information, please visit fire.airnow.gov   - NPS - About Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks' Fire Management Program For over fifty years, our mission has been to use the full range of options and strategies available to manage fire in the parks. This includes protecting park resources, employees, and the public from unwanted fire; building and maintaining fire resilient ecosystems; reducing the threat to local communities from wildfires emanating from the parks or adjacent lands; and recruiting, training, and retaining a professional fire management workforce. - ### - Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks  47050 Generals Highway Three Rivers, CA 93271 FAX: 559 565-3730 | Phone: 559-565-3341 | www.nps.gov/seki STAY CONNECTED

Critical Fire Danger!

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Fire Information Office
Phone Number: 559-565-3704
E-mail: seki_fire_info@nps.gov
Reference Number: 8550-2023
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park Enact Parks-wide Campfire Ban

SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. September 7, 2020 – Due to extreme fire danger, record setting temperatures, commitment of firefighting resources across the area and state, and national and geographical preparedness levels at PL-5, their highest levels, the parks are increasing fire restrictions.

Effective at 6:00 a.m. on September 8, 2020, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are enacting a parks-wide campfire and smoking ban. This includes all campgrounds, picnic and day-use areas, and wilderness locations inside the parks. There are no exceptions to this change.

"We need the public and our visitors help in preventing any new wildfires at this critical time," said John Ziegler, parks' fire management officer. "One less spark means one less fire."

The increased fire restrictions can be summed up to be:

Wood and charcoal fires (including wood-burning stoves) are illegal at all elevations and locations.

Employee housing and private property throughout the parks are included.
Gas, propane, alcohol (with and without a shutoff valve), and tablet/cube stoves are permitted in all areas.

No smoking at any elevation except within an enclosed vehicle, a building in which smoking is allowed, or a designated smoking area.

These restrictions will remain in effect until conditions in the area have progressed to a point where minimal public hazard remains, as determined by the Parks' Superintendent.

For information on the other fire restriction stage levels, please visit https://go.nps.gov/sekifirerestrictions

Alles Cabin Undergoes Restoration

I'm glad to see the historic Alles Cabin (located across the road from the Atwell Mill Ranger Station) being repaired and restored.  Read all about it here:

https://3riversnews.com/historic-alles-cabin-undergoing-nps-restoration/

Air Quality in the Mineral King Valley

We have been gifted with an air quality monitor at the Mineral King Ranger Station. Simply go to https://fire.airnow.gov/?lat=36.44310412654107&lng=-118.59157562255861&zoom=12.

The triangle color reflects the measured air quality index (AQI) and you can zoom out to see current flame locations as detected by satellite, as well as smoke coverage (when that feature is working). Although the monitor provides useful information, it is important to note that the monitor measures only fine particulates (PM2.5) which do not increase significantly with wildfires compared to other inhalable particulates and toxins. If you see and smell smoke, assume the air quality is unhealthy and take reasonable precautions.