Creek Fire update, Nov. 3: Here’s what firefighters are up against, how to get help
With containment at 70% and active fire activity reduced, teams battling the Creek Fire on Tuesday planned to focus on repairing the damages made by the fireline.
“The name of the game at this point is suppression repair,” the U.S. Forest Service posted on the Sierra National Forest Facebook page on Monday night.
Firefighters constructed nearly 600 miles of fireline over the last two months, relying on bulldozers to clear vegetation. They are now using equipment to build water bars and pull foliage back to help the forest begin its return to normalcy, protect wildlife and discourage the formation of off-road vehicle trails.
About 60% of repairs had been completed, mostly on the west side of the fire, the U.S. Forest Service reported Tuesday. Repairs are still pending around Shaver and Huntington Lakes.
The Creek Fire has been burning since Sept. 4 around Big Creek, Huntington Lake, Shaver Lake, Mammoth Pool, and the San Joaquin River Canyon. It has burned 378,201 acres as of Tuesday morning, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Officials noted a 2,500-acre decrease in the fire area due to better mapping.
Dry brush and dead trees sprinkled among the rocky terrain are fueling the remaining flames, which are located in the northeast corner of the fire. Gusts of wind overnight fanned fire activity and increased smoke, which is expected to continue today, the U.S. Forest Service reported.
The main areas of concern are the Cold Creek drainage just north of Thomas A. Edison Lake, near Pincushion Creek, and in the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River. Firefighters can’t access much of that rugged terrain, however, so the fire is mostly being monitored by ground and air, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The cause remains under investigation. Full containment isn’t expected until Nov. 15.
FEMA registration center opens
A Federal Emergency Management Agency Mobile Registration Intake Center will open Wednesday to serve Creek Fire survivors. The unit, located at the Heritage Center, 3115 N. Millbrook Ave., Fresno, will be open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., until further notice.
By registering with FEMA, the agency will determine what financial assistance residents are eligible for, including rent, home repair, home replacement, and other needs such as childcare, transportation, medical, funeral, or dental expenses.
You can also register online at DisasterAssistance.gov; by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or downloading the FEMA app.
The deadline to register is Dec. 16.
SQF Complex Fire
The SQF Complex stood at 170,512 acres and 80% containment on Monday night. Ignited by lightning, the fires have been burning since at least Aug. 19. They have torched parts of the Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument, Inyo National Forest, Sequoia National Park, and other lands.
A total of 250 people are battling the fire, compared with 878 people on the Creek Fire.
Firefighting efforts will be transferred on Wednesday from the Eastern Area Gold Incident Management Team to California Interagency Team 13, according to a Facebook post Tuesday morning. On Monday, crews constructed a fireline between several small lakes in the Hockett Meadow area to stop the fire from spreading north. Helicopters made water drops throughout the day.
The Rattlesnake Fire had some growth Monday where it meets the Castle Fire. Water drops helped to contain that growth, and firefighters today are focused on building 1,000 feet of fireline in that area, according to the same post.
Suppression repair is concentrated on the south part of the fire around Ponderosa and the Peppermint Area.
Full containment isn’t expected until Nov. 20.
Sequoia National Park continues to have partial closures. The Mineral King area, some wilderness lands, and Sequoia National Forest Western Divide remain closed, while the Hume Lake and Kern River Ranger Districts are open.
Inyo National Forest is also open.
Cold front approaches
The National Weather Service on Tuesday reported warm temperatures and dry conditions would continue throughout the week in the San Joaquin Valley and predicted cooler weather by the week’s end, with the potential for rain or snow over the Sierra.
The U.S. Forest Service said a significant drop in temperatures would arrive on Thursday night.
The air quality is pegged at “unhealthy for sensitive groups” in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, and Tulare counties. Fireplace or woodstove burning is prohibited unless registered in Merced.
