Tunnel Rock Fire
| Tunnel Rock Fire | |
|---|---|
| Location | Sequoia National Forest, Tulare County, California |
| Statistics | |
| Date(s) | June 26, 1960 – July 2, 1960 |
| Cause | A car’s brakes burst into flames |
The 1960 Sequoia National Park Fire, also known as the Tunnel Rock Fire, lasted for one week and threatened the sequoia timber in the forest of Sequoia National Park. The fire started on June 26, 1960, when an unnamed camper’s car ran off a road at Tunnel Rock within reach of General’s Highway, a highway that cuts through Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, and Giant Sequoia National Monument, where the car’s brakes burst into flames. Over the course of a week, the fire burned more than 5,000 acres of forest...[1]
Firefighters from the California State Division of Forestry, the U.S. Forest Service fought the growing fire during the first day. The next day, strong winds spread the wildfire east, and the numbers increased to 500 firefighters, now including inmates from the state prison, ten planes, 12 water tankers, and three helicopters. At this time, the National Park Service evacuated around 150 campers from the park, since park residences and the Ash Mountain Headquarters were endangered, and closed State Routes 180 and 198, not allowing anyone to enter Sequoia National Park through the northern entrances[2]. By June 28, 3000 acres had burned with almost 700 men fighting the blaze. Southern entrances to the park were closed while 10 planes and five helicopters dropped borate solution on the spreading wildfire [3]. The following day, the numbers increased to 1200 men, now including Indian crews from New Mexico. The fire was still spreading at this time, but not to any residences or the Ash Mountain Headquarters in the park where the fire previously threatened [4]
On July 1st, five days after the fire started at Tunnel Rock, 1400 men cut off the blaze by creating a perimeter of firelines. The fire was now 68% controlled, causing a cutback on use of planes with borate solution. However, nine helicopters still transported firefighters tasked with creating more fire breaks [5]. The next day, firefighters accomplished a complete encirclement of the fire, now confirming the containment of the blaze and the safety of park visitors.
Regional forester Maurice Thebe managed to establish a burnout, which is an intentional fire created between the control line and the main edge of the blaze in order to widen the control zone[6]. Ultimately, on July 5, almost 500 men were released from the fireline now that the fire was burning furiously only behind the control lines with no sign of spreading. 500 men were then released the next day, with only 300 men maintaining the fire near Marble Fork and Potwisha areas [7]
The efforts of the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service did not go unnoticed. From the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program, where low-risk incarcerated men and women could help fight wildfires, to the implementation of burnout fires, these methods utilized to fight the Tunnel Rock fire proved successful and useful. To save the sequoia trees in the Sequoia National Park, $440,000 was spent on fighting the Tunnel Rock fire, now $4 million in today’s money [8]. Because the Sequoia National Park was a tourist destination with the sequoia trees being the main attraction, a lot of effort was put into preventing the sequoia trees from being burnt down. Along with the forest timber in the forests nearby being considered for large timber companies, all eyes and hands were on the operation to stop this fire from spreading.
References
- ↑ A Times Correspondent. “Blaze Closes Entrance to Sequoia Park.” Los Angeles Times, 27 June 1960, p. 2. ProQuest, Accessed 8 Oct. 2021
- ↑ “Fire Jumps East in Sequoia Park: Blaze Blackens 1,825 Acres; Roads Closed, 150 Evacuated.” Los Angeles Times, 28 June 1960, p. 18. ProQuest, Accessed 8 Oct. 2021
- ↑ “Road Into Sequoia Open Despite Fire: 630 Men, Planes, Helicopters Battling Three-Day-Old Blaze.” Los Angeles Times, 29 June 1960, p. 23. ProQuest, Accessed 8 Oct. 2021
- ↑ “Center Out of Danger in Sequoia Fire: Blazes Roar Within 300 Yd. of Park Headquarters Area.” Los Angeles Times, 30 June 1960, p. C10. ProQuest, Accessed 8 Oct. 2021
- ↑ “Sequoia Park Fire Now Under Partial Control.” Los Angeles Times, 2 July 1960, p. 8. ProQuest, Accessed 8 Oct. 2021
- ↑ “Sequoia Fire Fails to Stem Park Visitors.” Los Angeles Times, 3 July 1960, p. C3. ProQuest, Accessed 8 Oct. 2021
- ↑ “470 Men on Sequoia Fire Line Released.” Los Angeles Times, 6 July 1960, p. B6. ProQuest, Accessed 8 Oct. 2021
- ↑ “Sequoia Park Fire Now Under Partial Control.” Los Angeles Times, 2 July 1960, p. 8. ProQuest, Accessed 8 Oct. 2021
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