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Fw: SOS-Kennedy Meadows Trails Closed due to Fire
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On Wednesday, July 12, 2017 7:19 AM, Chris Horgan-Stewards of the Sequoia <chris@stewardsofthesequoia.org> wrote:


Stewards of the Sequoia Trail News -Wildfire Update

Kennedy Meadows Trails CLOSED Due to Schaeffer Fire
The Schaeffer Fire was started by lightening on 6/24/17 and the Forest Service decided to let it burn to reduce fuel loads of brush and dead trees in the old McNally Fire area. Fires are a natural part of the landscape, but fires have increased to unnatural size and intensity in large part due to lawsuits by extremist groups preventing active management of public lands. Sadly the Forest Service has been relegated mostly to responding to fires instead of actively working to improve forest health by thinning overgrown forests so they can better tolerate wildfires..
More Wildfire Fact Here.
The Schaeffer Fire on the Plateau has expanded to 15,000 acres causing the Forest Service to-
  • Close all Campgrounds including Troy and Fish Creek Campgrounds
  • Close all motorized trails surrounding the fire area including Northern Kennedy Meadows Trails and Southern trails such as Rincon Trail until further notice.
  • Close Sherman Pass Road from Kennedy Meadows Store to the Johnsondale Bridge.

  • Additionally a Forest closure order for the area of the fire, including all roads and trails has been issued and will remain in effect until the fire is declared out (Forest Order No. 0513-17-20). 

    Here is the Forest Order and the Forest Order Map (Please be aware closures do extend beyond the map at this time as noted above)

  • For current details regarding this fire, please go to https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5285
Schaeffer Fire Progresses East into Upper Rattlesnake Canyon 
July 10, 2017 Morning Update
Acres Burned: 14,934                                              Structures Threatened: 13
Containment: 11%                                                   Injuries: 4 (minor)
Personnel: 673                                                        Fuel Type: Brush, timber, heavy dead and down
Start Date: June 24
Yesterday, firefighters continued to have success with containment efforts as fire backed slowly toward the Kern River to the northwest. The west flank has held for the past 72 hours. Hotshot crews worked in the rugged terrain on the north end of the fire to strengthen the containment line using existing roads and trails to keep it from spreading into the Golden Trout Wilderness. The humidity was higher due to thunderstorms in the area.
Today, Monday, July 10, firefighters are beginning, in certain areas, the process known as mop-up. This process includes checking all containment lines by falling snags and clearing any rolling material that might cross the lines. The use of infrared flights helps identify any remaining heat for crews to seek out and extinguish. The most active portion of the fire remains in the SE corner of the fire toward upper Rattlesnake Creek. Crews are conducting strategic firing operations where there are unburned fuels between containment lines and the fire. Crews continue to create defensible space and complete structure protection in Danner, West, Bonita, and Beach Meadows.
Monsoonal conditions are in the area today, and a chance of thundershowers is expected.  This could influence fire behavior.
Helicopters are making water drops to protect resources in the vicinity, and air tankers will be used to reinforce containment lines when they can be used effectively, and weather conditions permit.
People with respiratory conditions, young children, and senior citizens may be susceptible to adverse effects. Air District officials urge residents to follow their doctor’s advice. For more information, see https://www.cdc.gov/features/wildfires/index.html or http://valleyair.org/wildfires.htm.
For more information follow #SchaefferFire on Facebook and Twitter or go to https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5285. The Kern River Ranger District can also be reached at 760-376-3781 (ext.635) from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Schaeffer Fire Community Meeting In Kernville              
SCHAEFFER FIRE On Thursday, July 13 the Forest Service will host a community meeting to discuss the Schaeffer Fire.  The meeting will take place at 5:30 pm at the Kernville Elementary School, 13350 Sierra Way, Kernville, CA
FREE MONEY FOR TRAILS-
When you shop at AmazonSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to the charity of your choosing. Go to AmazonSmile http://smile.amazon.com/ch/95-4690961 login and select California Trail Users Coalition as your charity (Stewards is a sub division of CTUC). Then 0.5% of your purchases will help support Stewards of the Sequoia every time you shop.
This does work with 91 Stewards members so far doing it. We need more to take part.
 
SPOTLIGHT ON LOCAL BUSINESS
Sierra Gateway Market
Sierra Gateway Market offers great sandwiches, deli market, grocery's, sporting goods, fishing supplies and a gas station at two locations. One in Kernville just north of town on Mountain 99 and one in Southlake on 178.
Besides being a great market they donate lunches for Stewards volunteers for every Trail Appreciation Day, as well as being a Stewards supporter.
Support the folks who support Stewards
 
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Stewards of the Sequoia
Over the years your donations helped Stewards reopen this trail along with eight others and so much more.
Yet today 84% of Stewards members have let their donations expire. Please make your donation now so we can continue our efforts to keep your trails open. Thanks
Land of Many Uses
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