Fire: Containment on the Springs increased to 45% (3331 total acres burned) and moderate fire behavior is being observed. Smoke production today and tomorrow will likely be from residual burn down of areas already ignited Sunday night combined with ignitions planned for this morning, tonight and tomorrow as crews continue to strengthen fire lines. This will likely continue through the week to increase containment objectives as adequate dispersion permits.

Smoke: Yesterday, all monitors (24 hour AQI) values remained in the good (green) range under morning-early afternoon southwesterly winds. Winds shifted midday toward the east pushing the Benton monitor to briefly spike into the moderate (yellow) but then return to the good (green). Overnight, smoke moved into the Owens Valley resulting in increased PM2.5 levels, yet all monitors remained “good”. Today’s stable conditions will result in higher levels of particulate matter from Lee Vining through the Owens Valley as smoke settles and pools. This afternoon, smoke will center near the fire until evening, then move into the Owens Valley as a result of northerly winds.

Fire
Containment on the Springs remained at 43% (3168 total acres burned) and moderate fire behavior is being observed. Much of the smoke production today and for the rest of the weekend will likely be from residual burn down of areas already ignited Saturday night combined with ignitions planned for this morning, tonight and tomorrow as crews continue to strengthen fire lines.This will likely continue through Sunday to increase containment objectives.

Smoke
Yesterday, all monitors (24 hour AQI) values remained in the good (green) range under variable southwesterly winds. Today, predominant winds from the southwest in the morning and early afternoon will result in smoke dispersal to the north and east of the Springs fire. Later in the day, winds will begin to shift to the west and northwest pushing smoke east and southeast. Winds will then again transition in the later evening to an easterly direction resulting in periods of smoke in the communities south of Mono Lake during the overnight hours. Periodic smoke can be anticipated in the communities along the eastern Sierra Foothills south and west of the Springs Fire. Additional area fires are contributing smoke to Owens Valley area.

When will the Springs Fire be put out? This question has been posed to fire managers since late July. Here we are in September and it is still burning. Some people want to know why. The Community Meeting at the end of August in Lee Vining provided context and responses to this question. The short answer is that fire managers are using four optimal conditions to meet multiple objectives with a confine/contain strategy to meet desired conditions.

First, fire managers have many opportunities to contain the fire using roads and manage fire behavior in areas recently treated through prescribed fire and mechanical methods. Second, highly trained crews are available to carry out these objectives since they are not needed elsewhere at this time for fires that threaten higher values at risk (homes, etc.). Third, due to the weather and above average winter precipitation, fuel conditions (pine needles, shrubs) are nearly optimal to carry out precision ignition strategies for this 7500 acre area (see road closure map for approximate extent of containment area https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/6477/). Fourth, expert smoke modelers are on staff and are accurately predicting how smoke produced from ignitions will disperse every day. They also advise if smoke from other fires in the area will combine to result in adverse air quality effects and, when to decrease smoke production due to ineffective smoke dispersal into the upper atmosphere.

So, how long will the Springs fire burn? The answer depends on all of the above conditions as crews and managers work to achieve the 7500 acre containment area. For example: if all four of the above conditions are optimal, it will take less time; if conditions become less optimal, it will take more time, or managers stop actions and objectives will not be fully met.

“I understand that the long term presence of firefighters in the community and sense of anxiousness about heavy smoke production are on people’s minds. I believe that carrying out this action to fully meet the objectives has a high potential for minimizing these and other adverse effects to the community in the future. I am glad to talk with anyone further about this course of action”, said Gordon Martin, Mono Lake and Mammoth District Ranger and Springs Fire Agency Administrator.

Fire: Containment on the Springs fire rose yesterday to 43% and moderate fire behavior is being observed. Much of the smoke production today and for the rest of the weekend will likely be from residual burn down of areas already ignited Friday night combined with ignitions planned for this morning, tonight and tomorrow as fire lines are strengthened. This will likely continue through Sunday to increase containment objectives.

Smoke: Yesterday, all monitors (24 hour AQI) values remained in the good (green) range under variable southwesterly winds. Today, predominant winds from the southwest will result in smoke dispersal to the northeast of the Springs fire. Later in the day, variable winds may result in smoke centered near the fire. Light smoke and haze can be anticipated today, which should improve by afternoon. Expect haze from other area fires to drift into the forecast area through the weekend.

Fire: Containment on the Springs fire rose yesterday to 41% and moderate fire behavior is being observed. Much of the smoke production today and for the rest of the weekend will likely be from residual burn down of areas already ignited overnight combined with ignitions planned for today and tomorrow as fire lines are strengthened. This will likely continue through the weekend to increase containment objectives.

Smoke: Yesterday, all monitors (24 hour AQI) values in the good (green) range under variable westerly winds. Today, shifting winds will result in periods of smoke near the fire. Those areas may include Lee Vining and the Crowley lake area but should clean out by mid-afternoon. Light smoke and haze can be anticipated Saturday again in these same areas, which should clear by afternoon. Light smoke and haze can be anticipated through the forecast area through the weekend. Haze from other wildfires is impacting the forecast area.

Fire
Yesterday, containment on the Springs fire, a lighting-ignited wildfire, increased to 19% while emissions/smoke production continued at a slightly reduced rate. We may see increased smoke production today from more tactical firing if weather permits.

Smoke
Yesterday morning light smoke from the fire briefly drained into the Long Valley/Crowley Lake area and continued to Bishop, where there was a noticeable haze aloft. As the day progressed most of the smoke rose from the fire and was dispersed aloft, leaving all smoke monitoring sites in the good (green) range. Today and tomorrow, we expect a similar pattern that still depends on potential fire activity, with likely improvement due to increased southwest winds and better dispersion forecast to start later this morning. Once this better dispersion is in place, most smoke from the fire should disperse efficiently to the northeast, with little likely effect at the surface. Overall air quality today will likely remain in the good (green) range.

Fire
Yesterday, containment on the Springs fire, a lighting-ignited wildfire, increased to 19% while emissions/smoke production continued at a slightly reduced rate. We may see increased smoke production today from more tactical firing if weather permits.

Smoke
Yesterday morning light smoke from the fire briefly drained into the Long Valley/Crowley Lake area and continued to Bishop, where there was a noticeable haze aloft. As the day progressed most of the smoke rose from the fire and was dispersed aloft, leaving all smoke monitoring sites in the good (green) range. Today and tomorrow, we expect a similar pattern that still depends on potential fire activity, with likely improvement due to increased southwest winds and better dispersion forecast to start later this morning. Once this better dispersion is in place, most smoke from the fire should disperse efficiently to the northeast, with little likely effect at the surface. Overall air quality today will likely remain in the good (green) range.

Fire

Emissions from the Springs fire, a lightning-ignited wildfire, will likely increase substantially today, tomorrow and Friday, as crews accelerate tactical firing to increase containment, which currently stands at over 30%. Warm and dry conditions favorable to these operations should persist through Friday.

Smoke
Despite the light smoke and haze blown around the forecast area by yesterday’s light and variable winds, all smoke monitoring sites remained good (green). With potential increased emissions today, models show significant amounts of smoke draining tonight into the Long Valley/Crowley Lake area by late evening. By early tomorrow morning, smoke could accumulate in the Long Valley area up to the USG (orange) range before clearing by afternoon. As that smoke clears tomorrow morning, it could also affect the Mammoth, June Lake, and even Lee Vining areas up to the moderate (yellow) hourly range. Light overnight easterlies may also put some light smoke/haze over the crest into the San Joaquin, Merced, and/or Tuolumne river drainages to the west by tomorrow morning. With the forecasted light and variable winds, this pattern could repeat tomorrow/Friday morning, with the intensity of these effects depending on firing progress.

>FAA.gov Home > NOTAM Number : FDC 9/7847 Download shapefiles Issue Date : August 11, 2019 at 2330 UTC Location : MONO COUNTY, California near BISHOP VOR/DME (BIH) Beginning Date and Time : August 12, 2019 at 1300 UTC Ending Date and Time : November 12, 2019 at 1300 UTC Reason for NOTAM : TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR FIRE FIGHTING Type : Hazards Replaced NOTAM(s) : N/A Jump To: Affected Areas
Operating Restrictions and Requirements
Other Information
Affected Area(s) Top Airspace Definition: Center: On the BISHOP VOR/DME (BIH) 303 degree radial at 37 nautical miles. (Latitude: 37º50'10"N, Longitude: 118º53'07"W) Radius: 4 nautical miles Altitude: From the surface up to and including 13000 feet MSL Effective Date(s): From August 12, 2019 at 1300 UTC To November 12, 2019 at 1300 UTC > > >// > >// > >PDF Report of Notam >Operating Restrictions and Requirements Top No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM (except as described).
Other Information: Top ARTCC: ZOA - Oakland Center Point of Contact: INYO NATIONAL FOREST Telephone 760-873-2488 Frequency 120.775 Authority: Title 14 CFR section 91.137(a)(2) Depicted TFR data may not be a complete listing. Pilots should not use the information on this website for flight planning purposes. For the latest information, call your local Flight Service Station at 1-800-WX-BRIEF. U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20591
1-866-TELL-FAA (1-866-835-5322)

Readers & Viewers

Web Policies

• Web Policies & Notices
• Privacy Policy
• Accessibility

Government Sites

• Transportation.gov
• USA.gov
• Plainlanguage.gov
• Regulations.gov
• Data.gov

Contact Us

• Customer Support: 1-866-466-1336

  >Customer Support:
  1-866-466-1336

• Email: 7-AWA-NAIMES@faa.gov

  >Email: 7-AWA-NAIMES@faa.gov

Fire

The Springs Fire, a lightning-ignited wildfire, continued yesterday and last night to grow at about the same rate. Tactical firing to widen containment areas is progressing steadily, and will likely continue when conditions are favorable.

Smoke

Locally heavy smoke in the vicinity of the fire and on 120 east continued this morning, with a few hours of moderate smoke again likely this morning in the Benton area. Strong southwesterly transport winds over the region today will likely keep the western side of the forecast area clear, with smoke moving off to the east of the Mono Basin through the late afternoon before the winds subside tonight. Forecast models are now showing that tomorrow (Sunday) could be a distinctly different pattern, with light northeasterly winds over the area, and with the potential for more smoke in the “moderate/yellow” to ”USG/orange” range in the Lee Vining and Benton areas by tomorrow morning. More light smoke and haze may also make it farther afield into the June Lake, Mammoth Lakes, as well as Hammil Valley and Bishop/Owens Valley area by tomorrow under this pattern.