The Coffee Pot Fire has expanded to 3,678 acres, up 244 acres since Monday, and is still at 0% containment, according to CalFire.

Evacuation warnings remain in effect for TLC-E094-B and TLC-E128B. New warnings have been issued for TLC-E128-A and TLC-E127-B, covering the areas north of South Fork Drive, south of Skyline Drive, east of Skyline Drive, and west of South Fork Drive.

Firefighting resources include 39 engines, 10 water tenders, 12 helicopters, 10 dozers, and 30 hand crews, with 1,142 personnel assigned to the fire. Nineteen remain threatened, and CalFire reports that two firefighters have been injured.

Weather, Smoke, and Closures

High pressure in the area will continue to bring warming and drying conditions today. Expect sunny skies with haze and smoke. Winds will start out of the northeast in the early morning, shift to the west-southwest by mid-morning, and gust over ridges in the afternoon. Temperatures are likely to peak tomorrow, with a slight cooling trend later in the week.

Air quality has improved in most areas since yesterday. However, conditions remain between unhealthy for sensitive groups and unhealthy near Springville and south of the fire. Air quality is expected to improve to moderate during the day but may return to unhealthy overnight, with potentially unsafe for sensitive groups conditions in Porterville.

The Three Rivers area is experiencing smoke levels ranging from moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups this morning, with a gradual improvement to moderate expected during the day before worsening to unhealthy overnight. Light northerly winds have kept air clearer farther north of the fire, but levels may become unsafe for sensitive groups in the Giant Forest area tonight. The Mineral King area may see smoke levels rise to unsafe for sensitive groups this afternoon, with conditions improving overnight.

For updates on wildfire smoke impacts, visit AirNow.gov or fire.airnow.gov.

Smoke from the #CoffePotFire will continue to cause air quality concerns for the Sierra Nevada and surrounding foothills in Tulare County. These concerns will be most evident during the evening and overnight periods when winds are calmer and temperatures are cooler. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/0XjdXVrKbt

— NWS Hanford (@NWSHanford) August 27, 2024

Highway 198 and the Generals Highway in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks remain open, as does Mineral King Road. Park Superintendent Clay Jordan advises visitors to exercise caution while driving in these areas to ensure the safety of firefighters.

South Fork Road in Sequoia National Park and trails accessed from it, including the Lady Bug and Garfield Grove Trails, are closed until further notice due to the Coffee Pot Fire. For more information on park closures, visit the park closure information page. The Bureau of Land Management has also closed the Case Mountain Extensive Recreation Management Area.

Operational Update on August 27