SQF Complex Incident Update Date: 10/21/2020

SQF Complex Contact Information Information Line: (559) 697-5148, 8 AM-8 PM Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7048/ Email: [email protected] @sequoiaforest @sequoiakingsnps @inyo_nf

Incident Information: Start / Report Date: 8/19/20 Size: 168,595 acres Containment: 73 % Cause: Lightning Location: 25 miles N of Injuries: 17 Structures Destroyed: 228 Kernville, CA

Resources: Helicopters: 12 Engines: 23 Hand Crews: 13 Water Tenders: 14 Total Personnel: 741 Dozers: 3

Current Situation:

Today’s Operations video can be found at https://www.facebook.com/SequoiaNF/

Crews and air operations continue to work in the Homers Nose, Cahoon and Hockett areas. Great progress has been made to date. 90% of the dozer work is complete in the Black Rock area and 14 miles of handline remain to be completed. The spike camp crews continue to be supported by air operations for necessary food and air support allowing the teams to have additional time to do fire work rather than travel back and forth to camp. The Black Rock spike team has been moved to the Whitsett Spike camp. Just a few more days of work remain on the Mineral King Road.

All equipment in the field no longer in use must be ‘backhauled’ to camp. Firefighters will pinpoint a GPS location, note the type and amount of equipment, and arrange for ‘backhaul’ either by truck or helicopter, depending on the location. There is a lot of land to cover. Workers will clean and refurbish these assets and send them to the South Zone Fire Cache located in Ontario, CA for use on the next incident. This job is taken very seriously in order to reduce costs on incidents.

Over the course of the SQF Complex Fire, four separate Incident Management Teams (IMT) will have worked with the USDA Forest Service and Cal Fire in a unified command. The Interagency Incident Management Team 13 will transfer command to the Eastern Area Gold Team tomorrow. Michael Wakoski, Incident Commander of California Interagency Incident Management Team 13 would like to "thank all the local communities for their patience and understanding over the past few weeks as we managed the SQF Complex Fire. It has been an honor and privilege to help bring this fire closer to full containment"

Weather: A cooling trend continues through Friday with a light northwesterly breeze in the afternoon that will help clear the smoke. Humidity will continue to increase. A weather change will arrive by the weekend bringing lower temperatures and increased humidity and potential of wind. The possibility of spot fires remains likely over the next week.

All Evacuation Warnings have been lifted from the following areas; Camp Nelson, Pier Point, Mountain Aire, Coy Flat, Doyle Springs, Rogers Camp, Sequoia Crest, Alpine Village, Redwood Drive Area, Balch Park Road, including Blue Ridge Drive and Bear Creek Road area. All remaining warnings in the Three Rivers area are still in place, open to residents only. Crews continue to work and travel in the fire area as operations continue. The general public is asked to not travel into these communities as extra traffic can impact the ability for crews to quickly get in and out of the fire area. See www.facebook.com/Tulare-County-Recovers-SQF-Complex-Fire- 118633719998389/ for more information.

Tulare County has been officially added to the Federal Major Disaster Declaration for in California, providing individual assistance programs and resources to those impacted by the SQF Complex Fire. For more information - https://tularecounty.ca.gov/county/

CLOSURES AND EVACUATIONS:

The Sequoia National Forest - www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd825787.pdf

Forest Service Regional Fire restrictions - www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd827759.pdf

Inyo National Forest closures - www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd796836.pdf

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park - https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

The Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Office has issued a temporary emergency closure. www.blm.gov/press-release/bureau-land-management-temporarily-closes-case-mountain-recreation- area#:~:text=BAKERSFIELD%2C%20Calif.,Complex%20Fire%20(SQF%20Complex).

Southern California Edison (SCE) is working to safely and quickly restore power. Call 1 800 250-7339 or Check www.sce.com/safety/assistance-center.

Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest - https://www.fire.ca.gov/programs/resource- management/resource-protection-improvement/demonstration-state-forests/mountain-home/

Tulare County Castle fire impacted property owner information can be found at tularecounty.ca.gov/Recovers/ or on the Tulare County Recovers – SQF Complex Facebook page.

The Tulare County Local Assistance Center (LAC) Hotline for affected citizens is 559-802-9790. A satellite LAC is open in Camp Nelson on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Evacuation information can be found at: www.facebook.com/TulareSheriff/photos/pcb.4467454503325547/4467453416658989/ Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: Southern California Edison, Tulare County Fire, Tulare County Sheriff, Tulare County OES, Tulare County Roads, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California Conservation Corps, California Office of Emergency Services, AT&T, Verizon, California Department of Transportation, California Air National Guard, and California National Guard. CONAFOR, Mexico.

Smoke: Current air quality may be found at https://fire.airnow.gov/ .

Alert: To receive emergency notifications regarding evacuations and critical events sign up at alerttc.com

Safety Message: Prepare for the possibility of fire in advance, visit www.ready.gov/wildfires.