Single Incident Information

 The Summit Fire was ignited by lightning and discovered on the afternoon of August 3, 2022. It is located at an elevation of approximately 9,000 feet in southern Sequoia National Park. The fire received significant moisture and showed little to no growth until August 23. It then grew moderately through the first week of September. The fire is located in an area with recent fire history, including the 2020 Castle Fire. 

The fire does not currently threaten any people or infrastructure. However, fire managers decided that the best way to manage risk in this situation is to suppress the fire using an indirect strategy. This indirect strategy protected firefighter safety by allowing them to engage the fire from favorable terrain, took advantage of existing burn scars and natural features, and limited impacts to land managed as wilderness. 

Beginning September 8, low intensity backfires were ignited along trail systems, the edges of green meadows, and fire scars to strengthen these areas as containment features, and then consume fuels between them and the main fire. Ignitions were completed on Saturday, September 17. For 12 days, firefighters remained on the ground to patrol containment lines. Since ignitions were complete, the fire has been under a combination of ground and aerial monitoring and patrol strategies. 
 
Smoke may be visible from areas along the Hockett Plateau. For updates about air quality and smoke production, visit Fire and Smoke Map (airnow.gov)