Tehipte Fire Shows Activity on Eastern Flank
Incident: Tehipite Wildland Fire
Released: 8/16/2008
The Tehipite Fire, a lightning-ignited fire in the wilderness of Kings Canyon National Park is showing increased activity on its eastern flank. It was mapped at 477 acres yesterday. The fire started on or around July 14.
The fire is being monitored by fire look-outs at Buck Rock, by viewing the Buck Rock web cam (http://sierrafire.cr.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/swfrs display webcam lm.pl camera=buck rock 1), and by periodic helicopter flights at this time. Steep, inaccessible terrain presents safety concerns for firefighters. Direct fire response is unsafe along much of the perimeter.
There are no immediate threats to life or property. The trail between Simpson Meadow and the park boundary is closed as a safety precaution.
The Tehipite Fire is located approximately one-half mile west of Tehipite Valley and Crown Creek and one mile east of Tombstone Ridge in Kings Canyon National Park. It is burning in mixed conifer and live oak between 5,400 - 7,400 feet in elevation in steep bluffs and cliffs.
Fire is a natural ecological process in the Sierra Nevada. Each year, lightning strikes result in wildland fires that help shape the wilderness. Naturally occurring fire allows forests to be thinned, opening the canopy and allowing sunlight through which allows for the sprouting and re-growth of plants, shrubs and trees. Fire also allows for the recycling of nutrients to the soil while reducing the amount of dead, woody debris.
