| Lions Fire | |
| Reference: | [1] |
| Location: | Ansel Adams Wilderness, Sierra National Forest and Inyo National Forest, California, United States |
| Coordinates: | 37.571°N -119.118°W |
| Pushpin Map: | USA California |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of fire in California. |
| Area: | 13347acres |
| Cause: | Lightning |
| Landuse: | National forest |
| Injuries: | None |
| Fatalities: | None |
The Lions Fire was a wildfire in the Ansel Adams Wilderness in Inyo National Forest and the Sierra National Forest in California in the United States. The fire was started by a lightning strike and first reported on June 11, 2018. The fire impacted recreational activities in both national forests, as well as access to Devils Postpile National Monument. The Lions Fire burned a total of 13347acres, before burning out on October 1.[1]
The Lions Fire was reported around noon on June 11, 2018. Started by a lightning strike, it was spotted near Lion Point in the Ansel Adams Wilderness in the Sierra National Forest. On June 22, the fire crossed into Inyo National Forest. The next day, the fire had spread due to heavy winds, growing to over 1000acres and moving closer to Mammoth Lakes at approximately seven miles southwest. The Lions Fire has been burning in high elevations, approximately 6,000 to 8,000 feet in elevation, thriving on red fir.[2]
Strong winds overnight expanded the fire to 2383acres. A temporary flight restriction was put in place over a five-mile radius on June 25.[1] By the next day, the fire had burned into the Stairway Creek, northwest of the middle fork of the San Joaquin River. It also reached the Butte Fire (2017) footprint, which slowed the Lions Fire's westward movement.[3] The Lions Fires expanded to over 3000acres by the morning of June 28.[4] As of June 30, the fire had slowed its progression and was seven percent contained and had burned 3300acres.[1]
July 1 marked the fourth day of burn-out operations on the Lions Fire.[1] By July 5, the fire had grown to 4000acres and was 60 percent contained, due to lack of fire growth and crews reinforcing firelines, to mitigate concerns about dryer weather and high winds. Air quality remained poor in Mammoth Lakes and the surrounding areas.[5]
By late August, the growth of the Lions Fire slowed, with containment gradually increasing. On October 1, 2018, InciWeb declared the Lions Fire to be inactive, as no more hotspots were detected within the fire perimeter. By then, the fire had burned at total of 13347acres.
Wind patterns caused the fire's smoke to impact the air quality of Mammoth Lakes and other areas east of the fire.[6]
The Lions fire impacted visitor access to the Ansel Adams Wilderness, during which trails, in both Inyo and Sierra National Forests, heading towards the fire zone were closed to hikers.[7]
Due to the fire's location in a designated wilderness area, fire crews used Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics, such as air assistance and hand construction, to minimize their impact on the landscape, supporting a healthy ecosystem. This also provides for better firefighter safety and reduction of hazardous vegetation.[3]