Coffee Pot Fire jumps the river, drones used to protect giant sequoias

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – The Coffee Pot Fire has reached Mineral King Road after jumping north across the east flank of the Kaweah River, according to operational maps.

Fire officials say the wildfire was 12,915 acres large and 23% contained as of Thursday morning, down 2% from Wednesday . Primary strategic control lines are still 94% complete.

Although the Kaweah River was being used as a containment feature – fire officials say natural features are the best to use as containment lines – crews were prepared for the possibility of the fire crossing over. For the past week, they have been clearing brush around the road, and on Wednesday, they released fire retardant along its boundary.

Crews are also prepared for the fire to cross Mineral King Road and are continuing work on Thursday to reinforce the direct control lines they established directly north of the road.

In addition to fire growth in the north, the fire also spread further into Eden Creek on the western flank. Officials say drones conducted aerial ignition operations to produce low-intensity fire to moderate the effects around the giant sequoia groves in this area .

Evacuation notices:

The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuation orders for Genasys zones TLC-E094-C, TLC-E094-E, TLC-E094-D, and TLC-E094-B.

The Tulare County Fire Department has also issued evacuation warnings for zones TLC-E128-B, TLC-E093-A, TLC-E093-B, TLC-E095, TLC-E127-B, and TLC-E128-A. To find your zone visit protect.genasys.com .

Bureau of Land Management and park closures:

The portion of South Fork Drive within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and trails accessed from the road, including the Ladybug and Garfield Grove Trails, are closed. Recreational access to the Mineral King area of Sequoia National Park is closed to the public (this applies to Mineral King campgrounds, trailheads, and area trails).

The Bureau of Land Management has also issued a closure of the Case Mountain Extensive Recreation Management Area.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.