WawonaNews.com - December 2017
Tioga Road (Hwy 120 through the park) and Glacier Point Road are closed for the season
The Tioga and Glacier Point Roads in Yosemite National Park are closed for the season, due to hazardous driving conditions. Recent winter storm activity throughout Yosemite National Park has resulted in snow accumulation above 6,000 feet. Glacier Point and Tioga Roads close each fall, when snow and ice create hazardous driving conditions, and remain closed throughout the winter months until weather conditions permit reopening in the spring.
Yosemite National Park is open year-round with snow removal on all other roads within the park. All roads within the park are subject to chain control or temporary closures due to hazardous driving conditions. All motorists are required to carry tire chains, even if their car is equipped with four-wheel drive, while driving in the park during the winter months.
For updated 24-hour road and weather conditions for Yosemite National Park, please call 209-372-0200.
(then press 1 then 1).
Yosemite National Park is open year-round with snow removal on all other roads within the park. All roads within the park are subject to chain control or temporary closures due to hazardous driving conditions. All motorists are required to carry tire chains, even if their car is equipped with four-wheel drive, while driving in the park during the winter months.
For updated 24-hour road and weather conditions for Yosemite National Park, please call 209-372-0200.
(then press 1 then 1).
OAKHURST COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE
AUCTION!
OAKHURST COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE AUCTION!
Save the date & come support Yosemite-Wawona Elementary Charter School,
along with many other great organizations in the mountain area!
2017 Christmas Tree Auction
Ticket pricing is $65 per person OR $480 for a table that seats 8.
MORE INFO:
https://www.facebook.com/treeauction/
Click here to purchase tickets:
http://bit.ly/2fMux2Z
Ms. Esmé McCarthy
School Administrator
Lead Educator, TK-8th Grades
Ms. Karen Stansberry
Office Administrator
Field Studies Coordinator and Educator
Ms. Jess Stanphill
Educator, TK-8th Grades
Community Outreach Coordinator
Ms.. Annie Starkey
Educator, TK-8th Grades
Art and Spanish Enrichment
Yosemite-Wawona Elementary Charter School
PO Box 2068
7925 Chilnualna Falls Road
Wawona, CA 95389
Phone: 209.375.6383 Fax: 209.375.1029
E-mail: [email protected]
School Website: http://www.yosemitewawonacharter.org/
School Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YosemiteWawonaCharterSchool/
Save the date & come support Yosemite-Wawona Elementary Charter School,
along with many other great organizations in the mountain area!
2017 Christmas Tree Auction
- Friday, December 1st from 5:30 PM - 11 PM
- Sit-down dinner of filet mignon
- Dress to impress
- DJ for dancing after the live auction
Ticket pricing is $65 per person OR $480 for a table that seats 8.
MORE INFO:
https://www.facebook.com/treeauction/
Click here to purchase tickets:
http://bit.ly/2fMux2Z
Ms. Esmé McCarthy
School Administrator
Lead Educator, TK-8th Grades
Ms. Karen Stansberry
Office Administrator
Field Studies Coordinator and Educator
Ms. Jess Stanphill
Educator, TK-8th Grades
Community Outreach Coordinator
Ms.. Annie Starkey
Educator, TK-8th Grades
Art and Spanish Enrichment
Yosemite-Wawona Elementary Charter School
PO Box 2068
7925 Chilnualna Falls Road
Wawona, CA 95389
Phone: 209.375.6383 Fax: 209.375.1029
E-mail: [email protected]
School Website: http://www.yosemitewawonacharter.org/
School Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YosemiteWawonaCharterSchool/
Fire Update for Yosemite Nov. 10, 2017
We have experienced a few small rain and snow events in Yosemite over the last week. With these, we are considering Ribbon and South Fork fires 100% contained. Star King and Empire fires have minimal activity but smoke from these may continue to be visible from Glacier and Washburn Points.
On November 3rd Yosemite Fire conducted a prescription burn in the Historic Merced Grove. This operation treated 100 acres in the upper grove. Prescribed fire is used to mimic natural processes in this fire adapted ecosystem. If conditions are favorable we may continue to burn in the Grove prior to a fire season ending precipitation event.
Pile burning will continue through the fall and winter as conditions allow. Pile locations will vary based on continued fuels work throughout the park and communities.
The current pile burning operations along the “Bridalveil straight” area in the Yosemite Valley are part of the Scenic Vista Management and Meadow Restoration Projects.
For more insight into the Scenic Vista Management and Meadow Restoration Projects you may visit the park website or follow the links below.
Pod cast https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/management/vista.htm
Video https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/photosmultimedia/restoringameadow.htm
Yosemite Fire, Forestry, Tribal Council, and Resource Management and Science work together to help ensure the safety of the visitors, the health of the ecosystem, the protection of natural and cultural resources, and the management of scenic vistas throughout the park.
--
Yosemite Fire and Aviation Information
[email protected]
209-379-1493
YOSEMITE-WAWONA ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOL
Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, November 8th, 2017 at 5:30 pm
Wawona Elementary School
7925 Chilnualna Falls Road
Wawona, California
AGENDA
- CALL TO ORDER
- ROLL CALL
- CONSENT AGENDA
- Approval of agenda
- Approval of minutes of the regular meeting, May 23, June 7, August 23 and October 4, 2017
- Financial reports
- Monthly approval of warrants (Action needed)
- Financial Report
- Payroll Report
- HEARING OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD
ACTION ITEMS
- Approve Suicide Prevention Policy
- Approve and adopt Transportation Safety Plan and Bus Evacuation Procedures.
- Discuss and Approve Transportation Driver additional hours to meet bus schedule (38 hours/week instead of 36 hours/week). This would apply when bus transportation is being provided starting at the end of November or beginning of December.
- Discuss and approve winter tires for the bus.
- Approve corrected Unaudited actuals for 2016-2017.
- Approve corrected P2 and Annual Attendance Reports as per audit findings for 2016-2017.
- Approve 2018-2019 school calendar and instructional minutes.
INFORMATION ITEMS
- BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
- STAFF REPORTS
- L CAP Update
- NEXT MEETING DATE
- CLOSED SESSION Personnel/Negotiations/Litigation
- Employee Negotiations (Gov. Code 54957.6)
- Personnel (Gov. Code 54957)
- RECOVENE IN OPEN SESSION: ANNOUNCE CLOSED SESSION ACTIONS
- ADJOURNMENT
Fire Update Nov 3, 2017
Today Yosemite Fire began a prescription burn in the Mariposa Grove of Sequoias. As of 5pm the area treated consisted of 70 acres. This included 20 acres in unit 11 and the remaining 50 in unit 4. We are seeing a minor increase in fire behavior on the west hand line in unit 4 as it burns into the heavier dead and down fuels. There is currently moderate smoke production with smoke dispersal to the NE.
Tomorrow we are expecting the upcoming storm to bring significant rain and snow over Yosemite. This may be a "fire season ending event". With this, the Yosemite fires that are currently active may still smolder but will likely not produce much smoke. We expect to still see light, visible smoke on the Empire and Starr King fires.
Rain and snow will hamper prescribed fire efforts but will allow firefighters the ability to shift from wildfire management to prescribed fire management in the Mariposa Grove and to begin pile burning throughout the park. If conditions are too wet to do prescribed burning, fire crews will shift to thinning projects around developed and high risk areas.
--
Yosemite Fire and Aviation Information
[email protected]
209-379-1493
Tomorrow we are expecting the upcoming storm to bring significant rain and snow over Yosemite. This may be a "fire season ending event". With this, the Yosemite fires that are currently active may still smolder but will likely not produce much smoke. We expect to still see light, visible smoke on the Empire and Starr King fires.
Rain and snow will hamper prescribed fire efforts but will allow firefighters the ability to shift from wildfire management to prescribed fire management in the Mariposa Grove and to begin pile burning throughout the park. If conditions are too wet to do prescribed burning, fire crews will shift to thinning projects around developed and high risk areas.
--
Yosemite Fire and Aviation Information
[email protected]
209-379-1493
South Entrance Roundabout Taking Shape
Yosemite Prescribed Fire Update
Yosemite National Park fire managers are planning prescribed fire in the Mariposa Grove during the window of 4-14 of November, weather conditions permitting. We expect to have a few days of smoke associated with this burn.
Over 100 years of aggressive fire exclusion throughout the Sierra Nevada Range has dramatically altered forested ecosystems. Historically, natural fires burned an average of 16,000 acres annually in Yosemite and played an integral role in shaping forest structure and creating important wildlife habitat. In the absence of frequent fire, unnatural levels of forest fuel have accumulated, putting many of Yosemite’s natural and cultural values at risk. Applying fire under prescribed conditions mimics the frequent, low intensity lightning caused fires that occurred in the Sierras prior to the exclusion of fire.
The Mariposa Grove project includes two to three burn units that total under 200 acres. Fire managers want to take advantage of the Mariposa Grove closure for a major restoration project to conduct the burn, minimizing impacts to public. Burning in the Mariposa Grove is a continuous process; the targeted areas have had 1-3 prescribed fires in the past 30 years, and continued burning is required to maintain healthy forest conditions. Fire produces the optimum conditions for Giant Sequoia regeneration. Fire not only removes the accumulated layers of dead woody debris exposing nutrient rich mineral soil, but fire is needed to dry the cones and allow the seeds to shed. In addition, by reducing the number of trees and undergrowth, wildfire opens up the forest canopy and reduces shade-tolerant competition.
Additional fire management activity in Yosemite
Fuel reduction projects including thinning and piling in the Mariposa Grove and within the community of Wawona for hazard fuel reduction.
Pile burning throughout the park will be conducted after receiving precipitation and during permissive burn days.
* The Soupbowl prescribed burn project has been canceled.
Smoke may be present during the prescribed fire and in the Wawona area. Fire managers are working with the Mariposa County Air Pollution District (MCAPCD) to time the project to coincide with favorable weather that will facilitate good air quality, and disperse smoke into the atmosphere away from the community. Prior to ignition, smoke monitoring equipment will be installed in the community and a burn permit will be issued to the park by MCAPCD. Community members who are sensitive to smoke may want to close their windows and doors and/or consider leaving the area during active ignition of the project in order to reduce their exposure.
For additional Information:
--
Yosemite Fire and Aviation Information
[email protected]
209-379-1493
Over 100 years of aggressive fire exclusion throughout the Sierra Nevada Range has dramatically altered forested ecosystems. Historically, natural fires burned an average of 16,000 acres annually in Yosemite and played an integral role in shaping forest structure and creating important wildlife habitat. In the absence of frequent fire, unnatural levels of forest fuel have accumulated, putting many of Yosemite’s natural and cultural values at risk. Applying fire under prescribed conditions mimics the frequent, low intensity lightning caused fires that occurred in the Sierras prior to the exclusion of fire.
The Mariposa Grove project includes two to three burn units that total under 200 acres. Fire managers want to take advantage of the Mariposa Grove closure for a major restoration project to conduct the burn, minimizing impacts to public. Burning in the Mariposa Grove is a continuous process; the targeted areas have had 1-3 prescribed fires in the past 30 years, and continued burning is required to maintain healthy forest conditions. Fire produces the optimum conditions for Giant Sequoia regeneration. Fire not only removes the accumulated layers of dead woody debris exposing nutrient rich mineral soil, but fire is needed to dry the cones and allow the seeds to shed. In addition, by reducing the number of trees and undergrowth, wildfire opens up the forest canopy and reduces shade-tolerant competition.
Additional fire management activity in Yosemite
Fuel reduction projects including thinning and piling in the Mariposa Grove and within the community of Wawona for hazard fuel reduction.
Pile burning throughout the park will be conducted after receiving precipitation and during permissive burn days.
* The Soupbowl prescribed burn project has been canceled.
Smoke may be present during the prescribed fire and in the Wawona area. Fire managers are working with the Mariposa County Air Pollution District (MCAPCD) to time the project to coincide with favorable weather that will facilitate good air quality, and disperse smoke into the atmosphere away from the community. Prior to ignition, smoke monitoring equipment will be installed in the community and a burn permit will be issued to the park by MCAPCD. Community members who are sensitive to smoke may want to close their windows and doors and/or consider leaving the area during active ignition of the project in order to reduce their exposure.
For additional Information:
- Fire Information: [email protected], (209) 379-1493
- Yosemite National Park Fire Information website: http://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/fireinfo.htm
- Facebook: Search-- Yosemite Fire and Aviation: @YosemiteFire
- Twitter: Search @YosemiteFire https://twitter.com/YosemiteFire
- Air Quality: https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/aqmonitoring.htm
--
Yosemite Fire and Aviation Information
[email protected]
209-379-1493
