KIBS Radio

08/19/2026

08/11/2026

Inyo & Mono Counties Strike Team Gann Incident
On August 4, 2026, fire departments from Inyo and Mono Counties combined resources to form a strike team that responded to the Gann Incident. The Strike Team completed its assignment and returned home on August 8, 2026.
The Strike Team was comprised of:
Strike Team Leader Ryan Carrington. Big Pine Fire
Engine 2314. Big Pine Fire
Engine 2422. Lone Pine Fire
Engine 3334. Mammoth Fire
Engine 3434. June Lake Fire
Engine 3750. Antelope Valley Fire
During the incident, the Strike Team was assigned to structure assessment and protection responsibilities, as well as monitoring and ensuring containment lines held within their assigned division. The crews worked together throughout the assignment to support the incident objectives and protect the affected community.
It is always great to see Inyo and Mono Counties come together as one team to assist a community in need. These deployments demonstrate the strength of our mutual-aid system and the professionalism, cooperation, and dedication of our firefighters.
A special thank you goes to each of the Fire Departments and Districts that supported this deployment by allowing their personnel and equipment to respond outside their communities. Sending an engine out of county requires a significant commitment while still maintaining adequate protection at home.
We also want to recognize and thank the employers of our volunteer firefighters who allowed their personnel to leave work and serve on this assignment. Their continued support makes deployments like this possible.
Most importantly, thank you to the families of our firefighters. Your sacrifice, patience, and support while your loved ones are away serving another community do not go unnoticed.
To everyone who made this Strike Team deployment possible, thank you for your commitment, teamwork, and continued support of the fire service and the communities we serve.
Thank you,
Damon Carrington
Fire Chief
Big Pine Fire Protection District
XIN Coordinator

08/11/2026

In the early afternoon of July 26, 2026, Inyo SAR received a call for help from a hiker who was stranded on a ledge at Old Army Pass. The hiker had been descending from Mount Langley, when he lost the faint route down Old Army Pass, got ledged out and found himself unable to move in either direction.

Inyo SAR mobilized six rescuers and drove to Horseshoe Meadows – an hour and a half from Bishop. They hiked 7 miles to Cottonwood Lake 4, from where they surveyed the cliffs around the Old Army Pass route and located the subject.

From here, 4 rescuers started to hike/scramble to gain a location above the subject, while 2 remained across the valley to keep eyes on everyone and help with directing the rescuers.

The 4 rescuers built an anchor above the subject and rappelled to him. Once he was reached, they out him into a harness and tandem rappelled with him to safer terrain. From there, they all scrambled down scree and talus to the trails at the Cottonwood Lakes.

After a break to give the subject fresh water and food, everyone hiked out together, arriving at the trailhead shortly after midnight.

If you’re ever curious what a rescue like this looks like from the subject’s perspective, here is his blog post that he asked us to share with you: https://blog.happyhikersgroup.org/mt-langley-beyond-the-summit-92f12c0f9564

We’d like to remind all hikers that Old Army Pass is not a trail, but an unmaintained route. New Army Pass is actually a trail. It’s a bit longer, but much safer and easier to follow. Not all short cuts save time and effort.

Inyo SAR is an all-volunteer, unpaid professional non-profit 501(c)3 organization in cooperation under the authority of the Inyo County Sheriff's Office. Providing search and rescue services to Inyo County residents and visitors is made possible through community donations. Learn more or contribute at Inyosar.com/donate

08/08/2026

07/28/2026

07/27/2026

Monday, July 27- 12 PM- Evacuation updates

The following evacuation zones will be downgraded from an EVACUATION ORDER to an EVACUATION WARNING:
ICU Zone 123-B- Big Pine Lakes, wilderness area
ICU Zone 137-D- NW of Fort Independence on the Westside of U.S. HWY 395

REMAINING EVACUATION ORDERS:
The following zones remain under EVACUATION ORDER due to ongoing safety hazards and continued assessments.
ICU Zones 103, 117-B, 123-A, 123-C, 123-D, 127, 129, and 131-C.

REMAINING EVACUATION WARNINGS:
The following areas remain under EVACUATION WARNING:
Community of Big Pine; ICU Zones 097-A, 097-B, 099, 101, 105, 107, 109, 111, 113, and 115; Fort Independence west of U.S. Highway 395 (ICU Zones 141 and 143-A).

Residents should monitor official updates and remain prepared for changing conditions.
Daily evacuation alerts may continue until ALL EVACUATION ORDERS and EVACUATION WARNINGS have been lifted.


For updated evacuation information or maps, please visit:

Genasys Protect:
https://protect.genasys.com/en/map/37.143874%2C-118.418290?lat=36.9989&lng=-118.3155&z=10.1

WatchDuty:
https://share.watchduty.org/i/110979?ts=1785176929000

Ready Inyo
https://ready.inyocounty.us/pages/rock-cinder

07/24/2026