Planned Projects

Photo of fire truck near a low intensity prescribed burn in mixed-conifer forest.
Mixed-conifer forests in the Sierra Nevada have a history of frequent fire. Park fire managers conduct prescribed burns to reduce logs and debris on the forest floor, thin the trees, and favor establishment of young sequoias and pines. This is a 2014 prescribed burn in Giant Forest.

NPS Photo - Tony Caprio

The fire and fuels management program at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks helps protect ecosystems and communities. This important work is accomplished by restoring fire's natural role in the environment and by reducing the density of vegetation, or fuel loads.

Each year, managers prepare an Annual Fuels Treatment Plan that lists all the approved prescribed burns and mechanical fuel reduction projects that will help the parks accomplish goals.

If you are visiting the parks, be aware that fire and smoke can be present at any time. Since the execution of burns depends on air quality, local fire activity, fuel moistures, and weather, the times listed here are estimates only.

Fuels Projects Table

The table below identifies the planned projects for Calendar Year 2023 and their status. There are 10 projects planned for a total of 2,762 acres. Prescribed broadcast burns are planned for 2,201 acres, and manual thinning and/or pile burning is planned for 561 acres.

Location

Unit Name

Type

Acres

Estimated Date

Ash Mountain

Ash Mountain

Thin and Pile

4

Complete

Ash Mountain

Ash Mountain

Burn

35

Complete

Grant Grove

Park Ridge

Burn

560

Fall 2023

Grant Grove

Grant Grove *subject to ongoing compliance approval

Burn

521

October 2023

Mineral King/Atwell

Deer Creek

Burn

941

Delayed until 2024 due to road access

Grant Grove

Big Stump

Pile Burn

80

Ongoing

Grant Grove

Sequoia Creek

Thin and Pile

20

August 2023 - ongoing

Mineral King/Atwell

Atwell

Thin and Pile

68

Delayed until 2024 due to road access

Grant Grove

Grant Grove

Thin and Pile

168

August 2023 - ongoing

Redwood Meadow

Redwood Meadow Grove

Thin, Pile, Pile Burn

115

August 2023 for thin and pile, October-November for pile burning

Grant Grove

Big Stump East

Burn

144

Prep in 2023, burn in 2024

Last updated: August 16, 2023

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47050 Generals Highway
Three Rivers, CA 93271

Phone:

559 565-3341

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