Sierra wildfires shut down Avocado Lake Park

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Avocado Lake Park will be temporarily converted to a base camp while wildland crews work to control the multiple fires burning through the Sierra.

The recreation site will be closed until further notice, starting Tuesday.

Several fires ignited in the Sierra National Forest over the past few days – including the Garnet Fire, which has already grown to 6,484 acres.

The fire ignited Sunday at 2:13 p.m., about 10 miles east of Pine Flat Lake, an area with limited access and steep terrain.

Other fires burning in the Sierra include:

• The Tea Fire, reported Saturday, northwest of Granite Gorge
• The Saw Fire, reported Saturday, north of the Teakettle Experiment Area between Patterson Mountain and Sawmill Flat
• The Sugar Fire, just northeast of Sugarpine Hill
• The Rodgers Fire, up the northwest of Spanish Mountain
• The Garlic Fire, northwest of Deer Ridge, west of Spanish Mountain – staffed with smokejumpers
• The Tombstone Fire, reported Saturday, south of Tombstone Ridge, just east of Tombstone Creek
• The Village Fire, reported northeast of the Wishon Reservoir – staffed with smokejumpers
• Buck Fire near Buck Meadow

The US Forest Service says the recent fires are believed to be the result of lightning strikes.