Meadow Fire (RE-IGNITION)
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CA
Prescribed Fire Treatment

Started on or about
10/11/2004 (Morning)

Status as of
10/17/2004

Cause
Project

Location
South of the Glacier Point Road in Illilouette Basin (CA)

Acreage
Between: 500-3,000 acres

Estimated Completion Date
mid-late October

Park Status
The following trail closures will be in effect beginning Tuesday, October 12th:

Updates on Fire
As of 10/17 this fire remains at 200 acres and with recent rainfall, is showing little to no activity. With helicopters grounded due to weather, a full aerial assessment is unavailable at this time. When helicopters are able to fly, all equipment and crews will be released from the fire.

Overview
The National Park Service announces plans to re-ignite the Meadow Fire this week (10/11), weather and air quality conditions permitting. This option is available to fire managers in the recently finalized Yosemite Fire Management Plan.

The Meadow Fire was naturally ignited by lightning during a series of storms that came through the park in the last week of June. When detected, Yosemite fire managers decided to manage the fire as a Wildland Fire Use (WFU) fire based on the following factors:

• The fire was within the fire use management unit designated by the park. This unit was shifted to higher elevations this year because of drier and hotter conditions.

• The park had adequate resources (both personnel and equipment) to manage the lightning-ignited fire.

If left unmanaged in July this fire could have burned approximately 4,500 more acres, and depending on weather, 500-3,000 acres more could burn during the re-ignition project.

The Meadow Fire was within the normal range of fire behavior for the Illilouette Basin. Occasional crowning and torching was historically typical of fire behavior in mixed conifer forests.

Rapid growth over a few days created smoky conditions and local inversion patterns made smoke levels in Yosemite Valley high. The Meadow Fire was originally contained for smoke management reasons.

Vegetation Affected
Red fir and lodgepole pine

Air / Smoke Issues
The park works closely with county air quality managers as well as state and federal agencies. Yosemite originally managed the Meadow Fire following protocols regarding notifications for smoke levels. These will be the same procedures used during the re-ignition project.

Benefits of the Burn
The Meadow Fire re-ignition is only allowed along the perimeter of the fire where it was previously contained this past July. Where the fire was contained by natural barriers, no new ignitions will occur.

This project gives fire managers the opportunity to let a natural fire that was initially contained to continue, allowing for the maintenance of natural ecological conditions.

The re-ignition policy also allows fire managers to obtain these benefits at a time when conditions are more favorable. In the fall there are less people that may be impacted by the smoke, and the ability to better control smoke production. This will be done by breaking the unit into smaller segments. Fall is also a time of when temperatures are lower and fuel moisture levels are higher.

Partners Involved
Point Reyes NS

Contact Information
Deb Schweizer/Marea Ortiz
Phone Number: (209) 372-0333/ 0491
marea_ortiz@nps.gov