Knight Fire Reaches 45 Percent Containment
Sonora, CA — Firefighters have now reached a 45 percent containment mark for the 4,700 acre Knight Fire in the Stanislaus River Canyon 10 miles north of Twain Harte.
According to Pat Kaunert of the Stanislaus National Forest today’s activities will concentrate on extending the burnout on the west side of the fire and carry that burnout down to the bottom of the canyon.
The greatest amount of smoke will continue in the morning hours, disappating in the afternoon and then reappearing in the evening. The evening and early morning downcanyon winds push the smoke into many residential areas while the upcanyon winds during most of the daylight hours tend to push the smoke in an easterly direction away from those areas.
Resources today will include 29 Type One hand crews, six Type Two hand crews, four heavy lift helitankers (2,000 gallons apiece equivalent to four engines), three medium helicopters, one light helicopter, 52 engines, 21 water tenders and nine dozers. On the ground there are 1,259 firefighters today.
100 percent containment is scheduled for 6pm Sunday.
Written by bill.johnson@mlode.com
