Yosemite’s Dome Fire identified as human-caused
CAL FIRE lists a campfire as the cause of the blaze, which remains 40% contained and has forced road and trail closures.
Greg King and Ryan Cutter were dropping water on the Dome Fire when their helicopter crashed Sunday afternoon near Ostrander Lake.
A wildfire in California’s Yosemite National Park has been identified as human-caused, according to reports.
The Dome Fire, which started on the morning of Sept. 15, was caused by a campfire, according to CAL FIRE. The blaze has grown to 6,826 acres and is 40 percent contained as of Sunday, Oct. 4.
Hotter-than-normal weather and dry conditions increased fire activity on Saturday, Oct. 3, the National Park Service (NPS) said in its most recent statement. Firefighters on the ground, supported by aircraft, limited the spread of smaller fires ahead of the main fire in the northeast. The greatest increase in fire activity was in the southeast, where helicopters and aircraft helped crews battle the flames.
Park officials added that crews were to continue fighting smaller fires from previous days and complete other fire mitigation tasks on Sunday.
“Firefighters will continue structure protection measures at the Ostrander ski hut including the installation of structure wrap,” the NPS said. “Patrol and mopup continue in the north and south, and crews will continue direct line construction on the west side.”
The Dome Fire burns in Yosemite National Park. (Image credit: NPS)
Yosemite remains open and is operating normally, with some exceptions. Glacier Point Road is closed “due to reduced visibility from smoke and to safely allow firefighting operations,” and will reopen when conditions allow. The Four Mile Trail and Panorama Trail, which provide access to Glacier Point, remain open to hikers.
The Chilnualna Falls Trail, in addition to the trails from the top of Chilnualna Falls toward Buena Vista and Crescent Lakes, are closed because of the fire. The Ostrander Lake Trail and all trails south of it are also closed, according to the NPS.
InciWeb, a federal incident information website, noted that hazards may be found in the fire area such as smoke conditions that may cause respiratory problems, poor visibility due to smoke, falling trees and hot ash.
Two pilots killed in helicopter crash while battling Dome Fire
On Sept. 20, two pilots were killed in a helicopter crash while working to contain the Dome Fire. The contract helicopter went down southeast of Ostrander Lake while conducting water-dropping operations over the flames. The victims were identified as Greg King and Ryan Cutter, pilots for contractor Fly Precision.
Fly Precision pilots Greg King (left) and Ryan Cutter (right) were killed in a helicopter crash while fighting the Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park. (Image credit: Fly Precision)
The Dome Fire started just before 8:30 a.m. PDT on Sept. 15, according to CAL FIRE. It was reported about a quarter-mile north of Chilnualna Falls, and it quickly spread while moving upslope with the wind. Crews have relied heavily on helicopters for water drops and transportation due to the steep terrain and limited access.
Toward the end of September, park officials asked those who were on the Chilnualna Falls Trail from Sept. 9 to 15 and witnessed anyone with a campfire to notify the NPS.
Yosemite National Park also celebrated its 136th birthday last week. On Oct. 1, 1890, Congress designated Yosemite as the third national park in the United States, according to park officials.
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