Inyo National Forest

News Release

US Forest Service

Inyo National Forest

Contacts: Nancy Upham, 760-873-2427

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Bishop, August 4, 2008....Yesterday, Sunday August 3, at approximately 11:45 a.m., crews began to respond to the Sherwin Fire burning two miles south of the Town of Mammoth Lakes.  The Sherwin Creek Road was closed and Sherwin Creek Campground, Laurel lakes camp, and the YMCA camp were all evacuated.   Airtankers and helicopters were used on the fire during the afternoon, as well as handcrews and engines.  By nightfall the fire had grown to about 50 acres.  Handcrews and other resources remained on the fire until about 10:30 pm, when the winds began to move the fire in different and unpredictable directions and the Incident Commander made the decision to move all personnel to safety zones.  Due to the proximity of the Town of Mammoth Lakes a Type II Incident Management Team was ordered to bring in new resources and expertise for suppressing the fire.

This morning five airtankers and four helicopters assisted the crews on the ground.   The fire was mapped from the air resulting in a fire size of 223 acres.  An incident command post was set up at Mammoth High School.    By this afternoon three more airtankers had been recruited to join the suppression effort and handcrews and engines that had been released from other fires began to arrive on the scene.  By 2:30 this afternoon the number of individuals assigned to the Sherwin Fire had risen to 152. 

Winds were predicted to increase in strength this afternoon; however reports from the fireline were optimistic.  The fire is not currently burning in the direction of the town.  Although still officially zero percent contained, fire managers felt they were making headway on multiple flanks of the fire. 

As of this afternoon Sherwin Creek Road remains closed, as do the three camps that were evacuated yesterday.   The Sherwin Lakes, Valentine Lake, and Laurel Pass trailheads are all currently closed and no wilderness permits are being issued for these trailheads or the Convict Lake trailhead.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.   The Forest Service would like to remind all residents and visitors that Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in effect on all Inyo National Forest and Bishop Field Office BLM lands under 9,000 feet in elevation.  Under these fire restrictions no campfires or briquette barbecues are allowed outside of designated developed recreation sites.