Credit: Sierra National Forest

June 17, 2018 - Clovis, CA. - Sierra National Forest’s Shuteye lookout tower verified a report of a smoke from the public on Monday afternoon June 11, 2018 in the area of Lion Point, in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, managed by the Sierra National Forest. Aircraft was used for a reconnaissance flight to verify the smoke and pinpoint the fire location.

Reconnaissance confirmed the smoke finding a 20’ x 20’ fire burning in timber on the upper 1/3 of the western facing slope, east of Stairway Creek between Lion Point and Granite Stairway, in the Ansel Adams Wilderness at an elevation of 8,300 feet.  This fire is approximately 10 miles west of Mammoth Lakes, CA and 32 miles east of North Fork. The fire has low to moderate potential to spread to between 600-800 acres on the Sierra National Forest and 1,200-1,400 acres on the Inyo National Forest before burning into lighter fuels.

This lightning caused fire started approximately two weeks ago. Forest managers are determining the feasibility to manage this fire for multiple resource and protection objectives.  Desirable fire effects that are consistent with the forest plan and beneficial outcomes to the resource values at risk will be the main objectives for this incident.

Due to the close proximity of this fire to the Inyo National Forest, both forests will be working together on management objectives, determining the values at risk and identifying the potential smoke impacts this incident will have on the Mammoth Lakes area. There is no present threat to structures or public safety.

The communities within close proximity can expect to be potentially impacted by varying degrees of smoke for the next two- three weeks. You can learn more about air quality, and daily smoke forecasts by visiting either www.airnow.gov or www.valleyair.org.

Updates to the Lions Point Fire will be made available as more information is provided.

Lions Point Fire visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/
Source: Sierra National Forest