🔥 CAYNP Dome Fire
Description
Last updated: 2026-09-26 --- The type of incident is Wildfire and involves the following unit(s) Yosemite National Park. --- State: California --- Coordinates: Latitude: 37° 33 58 Longitude: 119° 36 82 --- NOTE: All fire perimeters and points are approximations. --- Incident Overview: Public Information Map (Pdf)     |      Morning Update (pdf)     |     Yosemite NP Air Quality  / AirNow Smoke Monitoring    |    Yosemite National Park Facebook Page The Dome Fire was reported on the morning of September 15, 2026. It is in the backcountry and located approximately 1/4 mile north of Chilnualna Falls and is visible from the Wawona Road (Highway 41).   Learn why / what the Dome Fire is named after...    Naming Convention for Wildland Fires.Status: •The fire grew 240 acres since yesterday morning. Containment has increased to 28%.•The fire is moving north and northeast in the old 2017 Empire Fire footprint and is inside the Yosemite Wilderness.•Heavy dead and fallen trees throw embers ahead of the fire and is one of the main reasons for spot fires.•Higher humidity makes it harder for those embers to start new fires.•One new Division is being added in Branch X to expand the span of control and to continue to implement additional control lines in the wilderness.•Crews are building and widening fire lines near Bridalveil Creek, Empire Meadows and Horse Ridge.•Crews are taking advantage of granite rock as natural barriers.•Pack mules and helicopters bring water, fuel and food to firefighters.•In Wawona and Yosemite West, crews are clearing brush around homes, checking hydrants and keeping roads open.•No roads, buildings or utilities are under immediate threat. Weather: Low pressure moving into the area will bring cooler temperatures, higher humidity, and strong south to southwest winds with gusts reaching 15 to 20mph through the weekend.Temporary Trail Closure: Yosemite National Park is open and operating normally, with the following exceptions. Glacier Point Road is closed due to reduced visibility from smoke and to safely allow firefighting operations. There are no imminent threats to infrastructure. The Four Mile Trail and Panorama Trail, providing access to Glacier Point, will remain open to hikers. Glacier Point Road will reopen when conditions allow. Backpackers already parked overnight at Glacier Point will be allowed to exit after the closure begins. The Chilnualna Falls trail, as well as the trails from the top of Chilnualna Falls toward Buena Vista and Crescent Lakes, are closed due to the Dome Fire. (These lakes are reachable from the east.) Ostrander Trail and all areas and trails south of it are closed. The closed area extends east of the Wawona Road from Wawona to Chinquapin, as seen on the public information map.  View the full Closure Order, and Closure Order MapSmoke Impacts / Air Quality: GOOD air quality today for Wawona, El Portal, Hodgdon Meadow, and Mariposa. Southwest winds will bring smoke to Tuolumne Meadows beginning in the late morning and continuing through the afternoon. Air quality is expected to be UNHEALTHYFOR SENSITIVE GROUPS with periods of heavier smoke possible. Air quality for Yosemite Valley is expected to be MODERATE.View current Air Quality Monitoring at https://fire.airnow.gov/#7/38.532/-119.416 Managing Fire Impacts in Federal Wilderness.    While it is widely understood that motorized equipment such as off-highway vehicles, dozers, or other mechanized equipment are not allowed in wilderness, this requirement is also largely true when fighting fires in wilderness.  Chainsaws, small portable water pumps and similar equipment is often allowed to operate during active fires, but large, ground disturbing equipment is still prohibited.  Firefighters use other methods, called Minimal Impact Suppression Tactics (MIST) when fighting fires in Wilderness areas.  Read more .Drones and Aviation Safety:  A reminder: wildfires and drones don't mix.  Unauthorized drones can force firefighting aircraft to stop flying, delaying suppression efforts and allowing fires to grow. If you fly, we can't. Help protect firefighters, communities, and our nation's landscapes by keeping your drone away from wildfires.   Aviation resources "Own" the airspace around wildfires; the Temporary Flight Restriction for the Dome Fire is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_6_4364  Know before you fly: https://knowbeforeyoufly.org/compliance.../avoid-wildfires/   Flight  Restriction Information https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/temporary_flight_restrictions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoG956VMCto  - Specific Message from FAA Regarding Drones and Wildfireshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4qTrh7ZSY0 – NIFC Wildfire Drone Safety Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v5f4tH_HF4 What is a TFR – from a private drone YouTube page – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMy7ZzkhUJU – Federal Charges Brought against drone operator in California Palisades FireManagement Objectives Prioritize firefighter's and the public's safety through risk analysis and hazard mitigation. Minimize burned acres utilizing direct extinguishment tactics. Utilize resources where they can be most successful and ensure tactics have a high probability of success. Protect and minimize impacts to local communities. wilderness values, and cultural/natural resources. Provide timely and accurate public information.Yosemite Facelift® 2026The Yosemite Climbing Association Presents the Yosemite Facelift® 2026, September 23-27, 2026 within Yosemite National Park!Join thousands of volunteers for five days of stewardship, community, and celebration in one of the world's most iconic landscapes. More details at https://www.yosemiteclimbing.org/faceliftSince 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 318 million visitors every year. But our work doesn't stop there.We are proud that tribes, local governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individual citizens ask for our help in revitalizing their communities, preserving local history, celebrating local heritage, and creating close-to-home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun. --- Source: InciWeb | http://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/caynp-dome-fire
Location
CA - Active Wildfire
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Details
Observed
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Auto-expires
October 11, 2026
Reported by
Trail Conditions Bot
Sep 27, 2026