Overview

• The lightning‑sparked Garnet Fire has burned roughly 50,000 to 55,000 acres in the Sierra National Forest and is about 14% contained, officials said.
• Embers ignited branches and some crowns within McKinley Grove, with aerial checks reporting several sequoias showing fire activity but no sustained crown run.
• Firefighters installed 24‑hour sprinklers, cleared fuels, wrapped trunks, and are deploying smokejumpers to climb trees and extinguish burning embers.
• Evacuation orders and warnings expanded across eastern Fresno County, and dense smoke produced very unhealthy to hazardous air in Yosemite and the Eastern Sierra.
• Incident leaders report primary containment lines largely holding on the north and northwest flanks, additional resources including night‑capable Chinook helicopters are on scene, and no structures have been reported lost.