Cabin fire Spreading and threatening communities outside of wilderness region
SPRINGVILLE, California, August 13, 2015 – The Cabin Fire, burning in the Golden Trout Wilderness in Sequoia National Forest, has spread to 6,417 acres. Fire will likely spread further into the burn scar of the 2011 Lion Fire, but should slow down as it reaches areas of sparse vegetation and rocky outcroppings.
Aggressive suppression action will be taken to stop the fire from spreading towards the communities outside the wilderness. Smoke will continue to be produced from interior fuels being consumed as well as fire growth to the north, but is expected to diminish over the next few weeks. Areas within the fire perimeter will continue to smolder until winter rainfall extinguishes the fire completely.
Nearly 500 firefighters spent the last two weeks confining the Cabin Fire to an area north of Mountaineer Creek, and east of Maggie Mountain. Crews utilized required Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics (MIST), using old burn areas, rock outcroppings, open areas of sparse fuels, and water sources to slow the fires spread. Once the threat of fire spreading south is reduced, rehabilitation of the Summit Trail and all areas affected by fire suppression activity will commence.
Many trails in the Golden Trout Wilderness will remain closed until the fire threat is eliminated. Backcountry travelers can access the wilderness area northeast of Lewis Camp Trailhead. Travel is limited to those areas east of the Old Hockett Trail (33E01) which begins near the Lewis Camp Trailhead, travels through Trout Meadow, and ends near the Kern Canyon Ranger Station located in Sequoia National Park. Areas west of this trail, within the boundaries of the Golden Trout Wilderness, are closed.
If you are planning a backcountry trip into the Golden Trout Wilderness, please call (559) 539-2607 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. for latest fire information and to obtain your wilderness permit.
For updated information on the Cabin Fire, please refer to inciweb http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4423/ A map of the closure area within the Golden Trout Wilderness can be found on Inciweb under the maps tab and is posted on the Sequoia National Forest website http://www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia/