New prescribed fire started in Tulare County on May 18

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Started: 6 hours ago, 7 a.m. May 18

Initial location: Tulare County, Calif.

Fire type: Prescribed

Fire name: Ash Mountain

A new prescribed burn, called Ash Mountain, was initiated today at 7 a.m. in in Tulare County, California.

The prescribed fire has been burning on federal land managed by the National Park Service for six hours.

At present, information regarding the extent of land burned and the size of the crew conducting the prescribed fire is unavailable.

Prescribed fire (prescribed burn) is a wildfire prevention method that involves burning an area of land in a controlled manner to minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfires.

Source: National Interagency Fire Center

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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 2:34 PM.