On August 3 a lightning-caused fire was located in the southwest corner of Sequoia National Park that was sized at 0.1 acre. It was quickly contained by fire crews, but after nearly a week of no activity, a burning tree fell and rolled over the containment line, and the fire began to grow, reaching five acres by Monday, August 12. Since then, the fire has continued to grow, as expected, slowly down steep terrain. The Coffeepot Fire has reached nearly 100 acres due to large burning logs rolling downhill and the dry fuels on the rugged landscape. This fire does not currently pose a threat to life or property, and fire crews are actively working on suppression efforts. It is expected that this fire remains on the landscape for weeks to come.
On August 14, the fire expanded along the southwestern perimeter as it entered into Bureau of Land Management jurisdiction. At this time the fire is being managed by the National Park Service. A Type 3 Incident Command Team will be arriving on Friday, August 16, and will assume management of this fire in the coming days, while continuing to work closely with local NPS fire personnel, Cal Fire, Tulare County Fire, BLM, and others.
Efforts to suppress this wildfire include 70 fire personnel, one fire engine, 18 helicopters, and multiple fixed-wing air tankers.
For the most current information visit the Coffeepot Fire InciWeb page: Caknp Coffeepot Fire Information | InciWeb (wildfire.gov). For now, updates will be provided daily, typically in the afternoon after the daily fire briefing.