THANK YOU to the many brave firefighters who fought the Knight Fire (and thanks to all our new friends who joined us on this blog for updates).

Words don’t adequately express our appreciation – you’re the best!

With this post, we hope to turn out the lights on the Knight Fire and talk about something else for a change! Right after, that is, we tell you to check out the dollar cost of fighting this fire (below).

Once again, imagine if the $10.6 million it cost to put it out (as of this morning only) had been spent in Tuolumne County or anywhere else in California! Incredible!

That said, if we get anything more on the fire that we think you would like to see, we’ll pass it along. Here is the final USFS update from the Hess Meadow Incident Command Post.

 

Wildland Fire Update – Thursday, August 6, 2009 @ 8 a.m.

Knight Wildland Fire – Stanislaus National Forest

60 % Containment

NOTE: This is the last update from the Knight Fire Incident Command Post out of Hess Meadow. Tomorrow, Friday, August 7, the South Central Sierra Interagency Incident Management Team (SCSIIMT) will return management of the fire to the Stanislaus National Forest. The Incident Commander and the South Central Sierra Incident Management Team would like to thank the local communities for their support during the Knight Fire campaign. Local firefighters will continue control efforts from Whispering Pines.

Started: Sunday, July 26, 2009 @ 3:35 pm

Cause: Under Investigation

Location: 10 miles North of Twain Harte

Acres: 6,130

Estimated Containment: 60%

Expected Containment: Sunday, August 9, 2009

Estimated Costs: $10.6 million

Estimated Control: Unknown

Fuels: Burning in heavy timber/brush

Injuries: 5

Committed Resources: 663 personnel

Fire Potential: Medium

Personnel: 11 Type I hand crews, 3 Type II hand crews, 8 Helicopters, 24 Engines, 5 Dozers, 19 Water Tenders, 151 Overhead. Demobilization of crews continues. Camp closes tomorrow at Hess Meadow.

 

Significant events: The Knight Fire has now backed down to the Middle Fork of the Stanislaus River and is holding within all containment lines. Firefighters remain on the line to continue mopping up and rehabilitating dozer and hand lines that were constructed to contain the blaze. Interior islands of fuel will continue to burn over the next several days, so smoke will still be visible from local areas. Many firefighters and pieces of equipment are being demobilized and sent to other fires across the state.

Several roads and recreation areas, including Crandall Peak Staging Area, Sand Bar Flat Campground, Forest Road 4N14 west off of Beardsley Rd., 4N01 at Fraser Flats, and the southwest end of 4N16 (Italian Bar Rd.) remain closed to the public. Additionally, 4N16 from 2N63 to 4N01 and 4N17 between 2N63 and 4N16 are now closed. Only authorized personnel will be allowed to pass through Spring Gap. These areas are clearly marked with signs.