Conditions described here were accurate only as of the date shown and may have changed. This is not a substitute for current official information from the agency with jurisdiction. See the full notice. Full notice.
Chilnualna Falls Trail Reopens as Dome Fire Reaches 41 Percent
The trail to the top of the falls is open again, and the Alder Creek Trail runs to Deer Camp. The fire's estimated cost rises to $60 million.
The Chilnualna Falls Trail is open again from the Wawona trailhead to the top of the falls, close to where the Dome Fire started on September 15. Yosemite's conditions page says the trail to the top of Chilnualna Falls has reopened, and the incident's InciWeb page says it is open east to the falls and to Crescent Lake. The Alder Creek Trail is open north to the Deer Camp Trailhead.
Yesterday this paper told readers to treat Chilnualna as closed because the park's Monday news release still listed it that way. The park's conditions page had already reported the reopening; a correction is on that story.
The fire is 6,803 acres and 41 percent contained, according to the federal incident report filed Tuesday evening, the first gain in containment since October 1. There are 875 people assigned, and the estimated final cost has risen to $60 million, up from $40 million in reports earlier this week. The park has not posted a news release since Monday.
Firefighting has shifted east. Success on the south and southwest let crews move to strengthen other divisions on Tuesday. Today the eastern side is the priority, with crews working its edge from the north and the south, and helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft available. Structure protection stays in place at the Ostrander ski hut. Mule trains are hauling meals, water, fuel, generators and drip torches to remote crews so helicopters can keep flying bucket drops.
Warm, dry weather holds through Thursday. Yesterday's incident forecast called for a trough to bring wind on Friday and Saturday, then significant cooling this weekend. Smoke is improving: good to moderate in Yosemite Valley through the week, moderate mornings in Wawona, Yosemite West and El Portal clearing to good by afternoon, and good in Tuolumne Meadows.
Still closed: Glacier Point Road, with no reopening date; every trail inside the fire footprint, including all south- and eastbound trails off Glacier Point Road; the Ostrander Lake Trail and everything south of it; and the Mono Meadow and Buena Vista trails. The Four Mile and Panorama trails to Glacier Point are open.
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