The Wilsonia Times - October 1, 2021 - Evacuation Order

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Wilsonia Times: The Official Newsletter of Wilsonia Village Inc.

Volume 21 - SPECIAL EDITION - October 1, 2021

Evacuation Order for Wilsonia

Wilsonia is now under an evacuation order due to the KNP Complex Fire. The order was issued by the Tulare County Sheriff, in collaboration with the National Park Service. The order goes into effect today, October 1, at 2:00pm. Everyone needs to be out of Wilsonia by that time.

The order lasts until further notice. Only emergency personnel will be allowed in Wilsonia until the evacuation order is lifted. You can view the text of the order here.

If you’re currently in Wilsonia: Please leave the village as soon as possible.

If you’re not in Wilsonia: Please stay away from the village at this time.

For additional info about preparing to evacuate, check out Living With Fire and their evacuation checklis t.

This order does not mean that Wilsonia itself is about to burn. The fire is still more than eight miles away from Wilsonia. Read on for more information about why this order is happening now.

We will send another special edition of the Wilsonia Times when there are major developments relevant to Wilsonia, including when the evacuation order is lifted. If you've missed any issues of the Wilsonia Times, you can catch up at wilsoniatimes.com.

For more frequent updates, check the Wilsonia Village Facebook page. Even if you are not a Facebook user, you can still view our daily updates. We are constantly watching the latest information on the fire and will highlight the news that is most relevant to Wilsonia.

If you have questions for the WVI Board, just reply to this email.

Stay safe, everyone.

Follow Inciweb for the latest updates on the KNP Complex.

Why now?

The fire is still about 8 miles away from Wilsonia. So why are we under an evacuation order now?

On September 9, lightning strikes ignited the KNP Complex fire. The KNP Complex has been growing moderately in all directions since then. Firefighting activities have focused on whatever areas were currently at greatest risk. Crews have been hard at work protecting Three Rivers, Mineral King, and the Giant Forest grove of Sequoias.

In the last few days, the fire has started growing more aggressively to the north and northwest. This fire growth caused evacuation orders for Hartland and Eshom yesterday. The fire recently crossed the North Fork of the Kaweah River. Crossing the river is concerning, because the fire could now reach Redwood Canyon. From Redwood Canyon, the fire could then move uphill toward Wilsonia and Grant Grove.

This order is a precaution as the fire moves closer to Wilsonia. The Fire Incident Commanders want to make sure that nobody is in the direct path of the fire. The fire crews also need to limit how many people are on the roads so they can move equipment easily.

Additional Information

For the latest updates on the KNP complex and other fires, watch the InciWeb- Incident Information System and CalFIRE incidents pages.

To sign up for emergency alerts and to view evacuation information, visit the Tulare County's Office of Emergency Services page.

Because many park personnel who typically update the websites have been evacuated, the NPS recommends following their social media accounts for the latest information. The NPS is frequently updating the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Facebook page and Twitter. They have been livestreaming their daily morning briefings and periodic community meetings to the Facebook page.

For information and news from our local National Park and National Forest, visit the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Forest websites. You can also subscribe to the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks fire information email list by texting KNP to 22828, and following the prompts.

We are continuing to update the Wilsonia Village Facebook page with the latest news relevant to Wilsonia. The page is currently updated multiple times per day. You can view the page even if you are not a Facebook user.

Air quality conditions in Wilsonia have been in the unhealthy to hazardous range for the last two days. To monitor air quality in Wilsonia, visit fire.airnow.gov and search for Kings Canyon National Park. There is a sensor set up near the Visitor Center on Hilltop Road that is visible on this map. As you evacuate your cabin, consider wearing an N95 mask to protect yourself from the smoke in the air.

If you are looking for a tangible way to support our firefighting crews, they have previously appreciated donations to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, which helps families of firefighters killed in the line of duty and assists injured firefighters and their families.

The Wilsonia Times is the official newsletter of Wilsonia Village Inc.
Editor: Neal Mixter
Visit wilsoniatimes.com to read past issues.
Questions about the Wilsonia Times? Email us at wilsoniatimes@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2021 Wilsonia Village Inc, All rights reserved.

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