WawonaNews.com - July 2018
Tioga Road Reopened
LEE VINING – **UPDATE 8:36 p.m. the highway has been reopened. Motorists are advised to watch for debris in the roadway.**
Mandatory Evacuation For Old Yosemite Road
Evacuation Zones Map, July 22
click on image to enlarge
Ferguson Fire Perimeter Map, July 22
click on image to enlarge
Ferguson Fire Now Over 29,000 Acres, More Evacuations Ordered
Posted by: gina clugston July 21, 2018 - 7:50 pm 0 1,490 Views
MARIPOSA COUNTY – The Ferguson Fire grew more than 1,900 acres today after the inversion lifted, with most of the activity on the north flank of the fire.
It is now estimated at at 29,045 acres with 6 percent containment.
Most of the increased acreage was north of Highway 140 near Ned’s Gulch where the fire spotted over yesterday.
Both air and ground resources engaged the fire early but were unable to make headway in the steep, rugged terrain.
Fire officials expect this northern portion of the fire to remain active throughout the night as heavy dead and down vegetation continues to burn.
Firefighters will continue to scout the area for places to construct handline on the edge of the fire, and look for options to cut indirect line where the terrain is too dangerous.
Crews continue their work on the line running from El Portal east to Wawona Road. Much of the line is complete and hose lays are in place in preparation for tactical firing operations that will remove fuels as the fire pushes east.
At 9:43 a.m., a mandatory evacuation of Yosemite West was ordered. Smoke was very heavy in that part of the park this morning, as cars along the road from the south entrance to Chinquapin Junction drove with their headlights on.
By 1 p.m., most everyone had left the Yosemite West area. Just one home appeared to still be occupied, and that family was hurrying to load belongings into cars and pickups.
Engines were staged in parking areas, dozer transports sat empty at the bottom of Henness Ridge Road as their operators cut and improved line farther down the mountain, and hose was stacked and ready to be deployed for structure protection.
There was no visibility at all from Yosemite West this morning. The smoke in Wawona was also very dense, but by about 1:30 p.m. had cleared off for the most part.
At 1:30 p.m., Anderson Valley – north of the new spot fire on the Stanislaus National Forest – was placed under a mandatory evacuation.
On the west side of the fire the inversion cleared enough in the morning to get helicopters into the air and working, though conditions changed throughout the day. Fixed-wing were delayed until mid-afternoon.
Along the horseshoe on the southwest perimeter that surrounds the communities of Jerseydale and Mariposa Pines, firefighters continue to hold those lines, mopping up some of the remaining hot spots and smouldering embers. That work will continue.
On the southeast flank near Skelton Creek, the fire was very active today. Firefighters are scouting for options to cut indirect line.
There are currently 2,832 personnel assigned to the incident including 204 engines, 70 crews, 41 dozers, 38 water tenders, 17 helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft as conditions allow.
There are 216 structures threatened by the Ferguson Fire, but none have been damaged or destroyed.
There have been four firefighter injuries reported. There has been one fatality on the fire.
There will be a celebration of the life of Cal Fire Heavy Fire Equipment Operator Braden Varney on Monday, July 23, in Modesto. On Sunday, July 22, from 2 to 6 p.m., there will be a visitation, open to the public, at Franklin & Downs Funeral Home, 1050 McHenry Ave in Modesto.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Congressman Tom McClintock visited the Incident Command Post today, and were briefed on the situation by members of the incident management team (California Team 4), officials from Cal Fire, Yosemite National Park and the Sierra National Forest, and by Mariposa County Sheriff Doug Binnewies and Madera County Sheriff Jay Varney.
McClintock expressed his admiration for those who “put themselves between the fire and our communities.”
Madera Sheriff Jay Varney, Cal Fire IC Billy See, MMU Chief Nancy Koerperich, Cal. Team 4 IC Jay Kurth, Mariposa Sheriff Doug Binnewies, Yosemite Superintendent Mike Reynolds, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, Congressman Tom McClintock
“All along those firelines are people with families,” he said, “and every time I visit one of these command centers in this region that’s been so ravaged by catastrophic wildfire, I’m just fill with a sense of awe at the courage and devotion of those who fight these fires, and we recognize the sacrifices being made on our behalf.”
Interior Secretary Zinke talked about his commitment to putting all necessary resources in place to fight this fire, and to going “back to the model of actively managing our forests.
“Everyone agrees that active fire management starts by removing the dead timber and by vegetation management,” said Zinke. “I’ve signed a secretarial order to do just that. We’re all stakeholders and we need to make sure we return to healthy forests.”
The Incident Command Post for the Ferguson Fire is now at the Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park. Please be aware of heavy fire equipment moving through the area.
The fire is under Unified Command with Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service, Yosemite National Park and the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office. Management of the fire transitioned to a Type 1 Management Team – California Team 4 on Thursday.
The Glacier Point Road inside Yosemite National Park has been closed to accommodate firefighting resources and activities at a small base camp located at the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area (formerly Badger Pass) and Bridalveil Creek Campground (which is also closed).
Though the west entrance (El Portal) to Yosemite National Park on Highway 140 is closed, the park remains open. For information on Yosemite National Park, go to nps.gov/yose or call 209-372-0200.
The Ferguson Fire started on Friday, July 13, at 8:30 p.m. The cause remains under investigation.
Smoke from the Ferguson Fire is impacting the Mariposa County Air Pollution Control District and across the region. For information specific to Mariposa County visit http://www.mariposacounty.org/index.aspx?NID=1434. For additional information on air quality you can visit the AirNow website or the air fire smoke page.
Residents can check the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s wildfire page at www.valleyair.org/wildfires for information about any current wildfires and whether they are impacting the Valley. The District’s Real-time Air Advisory Network (RAAN) provides localized air quality data from an extensive air-monitoring network which allows Valley residents to track PM at any Valley address by visiting myraan.com.
Evacuations
New today: At 9:42 a.m. the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office issued a mandatory evacuation order for Yosemite West. At 1:30 p.m. Anderson Valley, north of the large spot fire on the Stanislaus National Forest, was also ordered to evacuate.
Mandatory evacuations are in place for:
Advisories have been issued for the following locations:
Should these areas come under a mandatory evacuation order you will be notified via the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Alert System by text, email and a voice call, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, and door-to-door communication by Sheriff’s Office staff. At that time you will be notified of the best routes of travel to safely evacuate your residence.
The following Red Cross locations are open to assist anyone affected by wildfires:
A Red Cross Evacuation Center has been established at the New Life Christian Church located at 5089 Cole Road in Mariposa. If you have been evacuated due to the Ferguson Fire, the Sheriff’s Office asks that you please check in with the Red Cross Shelter even if you do not plan to stay there.
A second Evacuation Center has been opened to further accommodate those affected by the Ferguson Fire, located at Yosemite Valley Elementary School, 9009 Lost Arrow, in Yosemite Valley.
If you are in a Mandatory Evacuation or Advisory Area and may require assistance with evacuation transportation due to special needs or medical issues, please contact Human Services toll free at 1-833-423-0816 as soon as possible.
Planning ahead will help with a safe and timely evacuation.
Animal Evacuation Centers
Small Animal Shelter is at SPCA of Mariposa County, 5599 Highway 49 in Mariposa.
Large Animal Shelter is at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds, 5007 Fairgrounds Road in Mariposa.
Road Closures
Highway 140 is closed from the El Portal entrance gate to 14 miles north of Mariposa.
Also closed are Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road; River Road from Briceburg to the gate at Railroad Flat and all campground areas are closed; Hites Cove Road from Bear Clover Road to the Merced River.
Cooperating Agencies include the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, CAL OES, California Highway Patrol, Caltrans, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, American Red Cross, National Weather Service, California Conservation Corps, BLM and additional agencies throughout the state.
MARIPOSA COUNTY – The Ferguson Fire grew more than 1,900 acres today after the inversion lifted, with most of the activity on the north flank of the fire.
It is now estimated at at 29,045 acres with 6 percent containment.
Most of the increased acreage was north of Highway 140 near Ned’s Gulch where the fire spotted over yesterday.
Both air and ground resources engaged the fire early but were unable to make headway in the steep, rugged terrain.
Fire officials expect this northern portion of the fire to remain active throughout the night as heavy dead and down vegetation continues to burn.
Firefighters will continue to scout the area for places to construct handline on the edge of the fire, and look for options to cut indirect line where the terrain is too dangerous.
Crews continue their work on the line running from El Portal east to Wawona Road. Much of the line is complete and hose lays are in place in preparation for tactical firing operations that will remove fuels as the fire pushes east.
At 9:43 a.m., a mandatory evacuation of Yosemite West was ordered. Smoke was very heavy in that part of the park this morning, as cars along the road from the south entrance to Chinquapin Junction drove with their headlights on.
By 1 p.m., most everyone had left the Yosemite West area. Just one home appeared to still be occupied, and that family was hurrying to load belongings into cars and pickups.
Engines were staged in parking areas, dozer transports sat empty at the bottom of Henness Ridge Road as their operators cut and improved line farther down the mountain, and hose was stacked and ready to be deployed for structure protection.
There was no visibility at all from Yosemite West this morning. The smoke in Wawona was also very dense, but by about 1:30 p.m. had cleared off for the most part.
At 1:30 p.m., Anderson Valley – north of the new spot fire on the Stanislaus National Forest – was placed under a mandatory evacuation.
On the west side of the fire the inversion cleared enough in the morning to get helicopters into the air and working, though conditions changed throughout the day. Fixed-wing were delayed until mid-afternoon.
Along the horseshoe on the southwest perimeter that surrounds the communities of Jerseydale and Mariposa Pines, firefighters continue to hold those lines, mopping up some of the remaining hot spots and smouldering embers. That work will continue.
On the southeast flank near Skelton Creek, the fire was very active today. Firefighters are scouting for options to cut indirect line.
There are currently 2,832 personnel assigned to the incident including 204 engines, 70 crews, 41 dozers, 38 water tenders, 17 helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft as conditions allow.
There are 216 structures threatened by the Ferguson Fire, but none have been damaged or destroyed.
There have been four firefighter injuries reported. There has been one fatality on the fire.
There will be a celebration of the life of Cal Fire Heavy Fire Equipment Operator Braden Varney on Monday, July 23, in Modesto. On Sunday, July 22, from 2 to 6 p.m., there will be a visitation, open to the public, at Franklin & Downs Funeral Home, 1050 McHenry Ave in Modesto.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Congressman Tom McClintock visited the Incident Command Post today, and were briefed on the situation by members of the incident management team (California Team 4), officials from Cal Fire, Yosemite National Park and the Sierra National Forest, and by Mariposa County Sheriff Doug Binnewies and Madera County Sheriff Jay Varney.
McClintock expressed his admiration for those who “put themselves between the fire and our communities.”
Madera Sheriff Jay Varney, Cal Fire IC Billy See, MMU Chief Nancy Koerperich, Cal. Team 4 IC Jay Kurth, Mariposa Sheriff Doug Binnewies, Yosemite Superintendent Mike Reynolds, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, Congressman Tom McClintock
“All along those firelines are people with families,” he said, “and every time I visit one of these command centers in this region that’s been so ravaged by catastrophic wildfire, I’m just fill with a sense of awe at the courage and devotion of those who fight these fires, and we recognize the sacrifices being made on our behalf.”
Interior Secretary Zinke talked about his commitment to putting all necessary resources in place to fight this fire, and to going “back to the model of actively managing our forests.
“Everyone agrees that active fire management starts by removing the dead timber and by vegetation management,” said Zinke. “I’ve signed a secretarial order to do just that. We’re all stakeholders and we need to make sure we return to healthy forests.”
The Incident Command Post for the Ferguson Fire is now at the Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park. Please be aware of heavy fire equipment moving through the area.
The fire is under Unified Command with Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service, Yosemite National Park and the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office. Management of the fire transitioned to a Type 1 Management Team – California Team 4 on Thursday.
The Glacier Point Road inside Yosemite National Park has been closed to accommodate firefighting resources and activities at a small base camp located at the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area (formerly Badger Pass) and Bridalveil Creek Campground (which is also closed).
Though the west entrance (El Portal) to Yosemite National Park on Highway 140 is closed, the park remains open. For information on Yosemite National Park, go to nps.gov/yose or call 209-372-0200.
The Ferguson Fire started on Friday, July 13, at 8:30 p.m. The cause remains under investigation.
Smoke from the Ferguson Fire is impacting the Mariposa County Air Pollution Control District and across the region. For information specific to Mariposa County visit http://www.mariposacounty.org/index.aspx?NID=1434. For additional information on air quality you can visit the AirNow website or the air fire smoke page.
Residents can check the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s wildfire page at www.valleyair.org/wildfires for information about any current wildfires and whether they are impacting the Valley. The District’s Real-time Air Advisory Network (RAAN) provides localized air quality data from an extensive air-monitoring network which allows Valley residents to track PM at any Valley address by visiting myraan.com.
Evacuations
New today: At 9:42 a.m. the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office issued a mandatory evacuation order for Yosemite West. At 1:30 p.m. Anderson Valley, north of the large spot fire on the Stanislaus National Forest, was also ordered to evacuate.
Mandatory evacuations are in place for:
- Savage Trading Post
- Redbud Lodge
- Cedar Lodge
- Indian Flat Campground
- Mariposa Pines
- Sweetwater Ridge
- Ferguson Ridge
- Jerseydale including all residences on Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road
- Incline Road from Clearing House to the Foresta Bridge in El Portal
- The BLM campgrounds in Briceburg are closed until further notice
- El Portal Trailer Park
- Old El Portal
- Rancheria Flat- Government Housing
- Foresta
- Yosemite View Lodge
- Yosemite West
- Anderson Valley
Advisories have been issued for the following locations:
- Lushmeadows Community
- Ponderosa Basin Community
- Triangle Road from Jerseydale Road to Highway 49 South including all side roads
- Darrah Road from Triangle to Sherrod Road
- East side of Highway 49S from Darrah Road to Harris Cutoff Road – This includes Boyer Road, Woodland Area, Wass Road and Tip Top Road
Should these areas come under a mandatory evacuation order you will be notified via the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Alert System by text, email and a voice call, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, and door-to-door communication by Sheriff’s Office staff. At that time you will be notified of the best routes of travel to safely evacuate your residence.
The following Red Cross locations are open to assist anyone affected by wildfires:
A Red Cross Evacuation Center has been established at the New Life Christian Church located at 5089 Cole Road in Mariposa. If you have been evacuated due to the Ferguson Fire, the Sheriff’s Office asks that you please check in with the Red Cross Shelter even if you do not plan to stay there.
A second Evacuation Center has been opened to further accommodate those affected by the Ferguson Fire, located at Yosemite Valley Elementary School, 9009 Lost Arrow, in Yosemite Valley.
If you are in a Mandatory Evacuation or Advisory Area and may require assistance with evacuation transportation due to special needs or medical issues, please contact Human Services toll free at 1-833-423-0816 as soon as possible.
Planning ahead will help with a safe and timely evacuation.
Animal Evacuation Centers
Small Animal Shelter is at SPCA of Mariposa County, 5599 Highway 49 in Mariposa.
Large Animal Shelter is at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds, 5007 Fairgrounds Road in Mariposa.
Road Closures
Highway 140 is closed from the El Portal entrance gate to 14 miles north of Mariposa.
Also closed are Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road; River Road from Briceburg to the gate at Railroad Flat and all campground areas are closed; Hites Cove Road from Bear Clover Road to the Merced River.
Cooperating Agencies include the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, CAL OES, California Highway Patrol, Caltrans, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, American Red Cross, National Weather Service, California Conservation Corps, BLM and additional agencies throughout the state.
Highway 120 From Tioga Pass Entrance To Lee Vining Closed Due To Rock Slide
Posted by: gina clugston July 21, 2018 - 7:15 pm
LEE VINING – As if travelers wishing to visit Yosemite National Park didn’t have enough to deal with, word has come in that Highway 120 – the Tioga Pass Road from the east entrance to five miles west of Lee Vining – has been closed due to a debris slide.
There was a report to CHP just after 1:30 p.m. today, that there was a traffic accident involving a motorcycle with two injured people.
As first responders were still dealing with the injury accident, just before 5 p.m., another motorist reported his vehicle had been hit by a rock.
About 20 minutes later, even as Caltrans was working to remove the boulders from the road, the incident was reported as an active debris slide, and the roadway was closed.
NPS officials were advised to stop motorists from exiting the park at the eastern gate. No one is being allowed to head east on Highway 120 from Tioga Pass.
There is no estimate to reopen the road at this time.
Secretary of the Interior Zinke and Congressman McClintock Visit the Ferguson Fire in Mariposa County
Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke visited the Ferguson Fire in Mariposa County today to get a firsthand look at the wildfire burning in the Sierra National Forest which is also threatening Yosemite National Park. The Secretary along with Congressman Tom McClintock met with fire managers and Agency Officials for an operational briefing and an update on progress being made to suppress the wildfire and protect local communities.
Flurry Of New Evacuations, Most Fire Growth To The North
Increased activity in the Ferguson Fire has forced mandatory evacuations of several more communities on the western edge of Yosemite National Park.
As of Saturday morning, the fire had burned 27,129 acres — almost 3,000 more than 24 hours earlier. It was 7 percent contained.
The Saturday report by the U.S. Forest Service said most of the new burn area was north of Highway 140 near Ned Gulch. It attributed the increased activity to more turbulent air following the lifting of the atmospheric inversion layer.
A mandatory evacuation was issued at 10 a.m. Saturday for Yosemite West, a cluster of cabins near the west end of Yosemite’s Glacier Point Road. It is within a 165-acre zone of Sierra National Forest that has been off limits to the public since Wednesday, but until this point Yosemite West residents had been allowed to stay.
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued Saturday evening for:
The closure of Highway 140 was extended to the east, into Yosemite, and its continuation in the park as El Portal Road was closed as well. Yosemite’s Arch Rock entrance, on this road, was closed.
A previous round of mandatory evacuations covered communities along Highway 140 near the town of Incline, as well as Jerseydale, Mariposa Pines and Sweetwater Ridge.The fire started July 13 near Savage Trading Post, on 140 west of Incline.
As of Saturday morning, the fire had burned 27,129 acres — almost 3,000 more than 24 hours earlier. It was 7 percent contained.
The Saturday report by the U.S. Forest Service said most of the new burn area was north of Highway 140 near Ned Gulch. It attributed the increased activity to more turbulent air following the lifting of the atmospheric inversion layer.
A mandatory evacuation was issued at 10 a.m. Saturday for Yosemite West, a cluster of cabins near the west end of Yosemite’s Glacier Point Road. It is within a 165-acre zone of Sierra National Forest that has been off limits to the public since Wednesday, but until this point Yosemite West residents had been allowed to stay.
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued Saturday evening for:
- Rancheria Flat government housing
- Old El Portal
- Yosemite View Lodge
- Foresta
The closure of Highway 140 was extended to the east, into Yosemite, and its continuation in the park as El Portal Road was closed as well. Yosemite’s Arch Rock entrance, on this road, was closed.
A previous round of mandatory evacuations covered communities along Highway 140 near the town of Incline, as well as Jerseydale, Mariposa Pines and Sweetwater Ridge.The fire started July 13 near Savage Trading Post, on 140 west of Incline.
Ferguson Fire Phone Line
For information on the Ferguson Fire call:
530-377-6221
If it’s busy or you get an answering machine, hang up and call again until a person answers.
Chowchilla Mountain Road CLOSED
As part of the Sierra NF closure for all roads West of Hwy. 41 and in support of the Ferguson Fire Incident Mgt. Team's efforts to contain the fire, the Chowchilla Mountain Road into and out of Wawona is CLOSED.
--
Eric Scott
Wawona District Ranger
Yosemite National Park
Office: (209) 375-9520
Ferguson Fire Grows By 2,500 Acres Overnight
Ferguson Fire above Merced River - photo USFS
Posted by: gina clugston July 21, 2018 - 7:53 am
MARIPOSA COUNTY – The Ferguson Fire continues to challenge firefighters as it pushes north across the Merced River along Highway 140 west of Yosemite National Park.
The Ferguson Fire grew more than 2,500 acres throughout the day and into the night hours Friday as the inversion layer lifted and fire activity increased in many areas of the fire’s footprint. It is now estimated at 27,129 acres with 7 percent containment.
Yesterday at about 3 p.m., the fire jumped to the north side of the Merced River at the u-bend on Highway 140 and had burned more than 2,000 acres by midnight. It spread quickly up the steep canyon walls, running northeast up into Ned’s Gulch and to the crest on Big Grizzly on the Stanislaus National Forest.
The unstable atmosphere late in the day helped the fire spot over the road and the Merced River. Both air and ground resources engaged the new fires early but were unable to make headway in the steep, rugged terrain.
Firefighters will scout out the area north of Highway 140 to find the best ground to make a stand and stop the spread of the new spot fire.
Crews continued to make progress on building line from El Portal southeast to the Wawona Road and much of the line is complete and lined with hose lays in preparation for tactical firing operations.
Along the western edge, firefighters continued to hold the line around Jerseydale and made progress mopping up some of the remaining hot spots and smoldering embers in that area and will continue to do so.
We will update with details of today’s operations after this evening’s briefing.
There are currently 2,832 personnel assigned to the incident including 204 engines, 70 crews, 41 dozers, 38 water tenders, 17 helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft as conditions allow.
There are 216 structures threatened by the Ferguson Fire, but none have been damaged or destroyed.
There have been four firefighter injuries reported. There has been one fatality on the fire.
There will be a visitation for Cal Fire Heavy Fire Equipment Operator, Braden Varney, on Sunday, July 22, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Franklin & Downs Funeral Home, 1050 McHenry Ave in Modesto. This visitation will be open to the public.
The Incident Command Post for the Ferguson Fire is now at the Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park. Please be aware of heavy fire equipment moving through the area.
The fire is under Unified Command with Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service, Yosemite National Park and the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office. Management of the fire transitioned to a Type 1 Management Team – California Team 4 on Thursday.
The Glacier Point Road inside Yosemite National Park has been closed to accommodate firefighting resources and activities at a small base camp located at the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area (formerly Badger Pass) and Bridalveil Creek Campground (which is also closed).
Though the west entrance (El Portal) to Yosemite National Park on Highway 140 is closed, the park remains open. For information on Yosemite National Park, go to nps.gov/yose or call 209-372-0200.
The Ferguson Fire started on Friday, July 13, at 8:30 p.m. The cause remains under investigation.
Smoke from the Ferguson Fire is impacting the Mariposa County Air Pollution Control District and across the region. For information specific to Mariposa County visit http://www.mariposacounty.org/index.aspx?NID=1434. For additional information on air quality you can visit the AirNow website or the air fire smoke page.
Residents can check the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s wildfire page at www.valleyair.org/wildfires for information about any current wildfires and whether they are impacting the Valley. The District’s Real-time Air Advisory Network (RAAN) provides localized air quality data from an extensive air-monitoring network which allows Valley residents to track PM at any Valley address by visiting myraan.com.
Evacuations
Mandatory evacuations are in place for:
- Savage Trading Post
- Redbud Lodge
- Cedar Lodge
- Indian Flat Campground
- Mariposa Pines
- Sweetwater Ridge
- Ferguson Ridge
- Jerseydale including all residences on Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road
- Incline Road from Clearing House to the Foresta Bridge in El Portal
- The BLM campgrounds in Briceburg are closed until further notice
- El Portal Trailer Park
- Old El Portal
- Rancheria Flat- Government Housing
- Foresta
- Yosemite View Lodge
Advisories have been issued for the following locations:
- Lushmeadows Community
- Ponderosa Basin Community
- Triangle Road from Jerseydale Road to Highway 49 South including all side roads
- Darrah Road from Triangle to Sherrod Road
- East side of Highway 49S from Darrah Road to Harris Cutoff Road – This includes Boyer Road, Woodland Area, Wass Road and Tip Top Road
- Yosemite West
Should these areas come under a mandatory evacuation order you will be notified via the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Alert System by text, email and a voice call, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, and door-to-door communication by Sheriff’s Office staff. At that time you will be notified of the best routes of travel to safely evacuate your residence.
The following Red Cross locations are open to assist anyone affected by wildfires:
A Red Cross Evacuation Center has been established at the New Life Christian Church located at 5089 Cole Road in Mariposa. If you have been evacuated due to the Ferguson Fire, the Sheriff’s Office asks that you please check in with the Red Cross Shelter even if you do not plan to stay there.
A second Evacuation Center has been opened to further accommodate those affected by the Ferguson Fire, located at Yosemite Valley Elementary School, 9009 Lost Arrow, in Yosemite Valley.
If you are in a Mandatory Evacuation or Advisory Area and may require assistance with evacuation transportation due to special needs or medical issues, please contact Human Services toll free at 1-833-423-0816 as soon as possible.
Planning ahead will help with a safe and timely evacuation.
Animal Evacuation Centers
Small Animal Shelter is at SPCA of Mariposa County, 5599 Highway 49 in Mariposa.
Large Animal Shelter is at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds, 5007 Fairgrounds Roadin Mariposa.
Road Closures
Highway 140 is closed from the El Portal entrance gate to 14 miles north of Mariposa.Also closed are Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road; River Road from Briceburg to the gate at Railroad Flat and all campground areas are closed; Hites Cove Road from Bear Clover Road to the Merced River.
Cooperating Agencies include the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, CAL OES, California Highway Patrol, Caltrans, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, American Red Cross, National Weather Service, California Conservation Corps, BLM and additional agencies throughout the state.
Click on image to enlarge
Ferguson Fire Jumps The Merced River To The North
Posted by: gina clugston July 20, 2018 - 3:56 pm
MARIPOSA COUNTY – Just after 3 p.m. the Ferguson Fire spotted across the Merced River to the north and onto the Stanislaus National Forest at the north end of Ferguson Ridge in the river’s dogleg west of Cedar Lodge.
Helicopters were called in to work what was reported as two spot fires. The largest is now reported to be 250 – 300 acres.
Air tankers are en route from Columbia and Hollister to work the ridge higher up, as the canyon is too narrow for fixed-wing to operate safely.
Four ground crews and two engine strike teams (5 engines each) have been sent to Division A from other parts of the fire, along with any other resources available. Other engine strike teams have been called out for “immediate need.”
Fire officials have requested one VLAT (Very Large Air Tanker) and four LATs to put some major retardant down ahead of the leading edge of the fire as it pushes up the steep canyon wall.
Ferguson Fire Active Overnight, Now Nearly 23,000 Acres
Red sky and smoke from Ferguson Fire - photo Dustin Garrison
Posted by: gina clugston July 20, 2018 - 8:23 am
MARIPOSA COUNTY – The Ferguson fire remained active overnight and is now estimated at 22,892 acres and remains at 7 percent containment.
There was active fire behavior along Highway 140 in the dogleg of the Merced River west of Cedar Lodge, and also west of Pinoche Ridge and on the southeastern corner near Granite Ridge. Firing operations continued to protect structures and secure fireline.
As of this morning, no structures have been damaged or destroyed. No additional evacuations were ordered overnight.
There are currently 2,711 personnel assigned to the incident including 203 engines, 58 crews, 41 dozers, 39 water tenders, 16 helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft as conditions allow.
We will report on details of the day’s activity on the fireline after this evening’s briefing.
There will be two community meetings on the Ferguson Fire today. The first will be held at the Wawona Community Center, 7925 Chilnualna Falls Road from 3 to 4 p.m. The second meeting will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds, Building A.
The Unified Commanders – US Forest Service, Cal Fire, and Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, along with the National Park Service – will discuss the current situation of the Ferguson Fire. Officials will be giving a briefing highlighting the current actions that firefighters are taking on the fire.
Current maps of the fire will be available, as well as other handouts. Agency officials will also be available to answer questions. Please arrive early as the meeting will start promptly at the times given. If you have questions about the meetings, please call the Ferguson Fire Info Line at (530) 377-6221.
The community meeting in Mariposa will be live streamed via Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mariposacountysheriff
There are currently 216 structures threatened by the Ferguson Fire.
There have been two firefighter injuries reported. There has been one fatality on the fire.
The Incident Command Post for the Ferguson Fire is now at the Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park. Please be aware of heavy fire equipment moving through the area.
The fire is under Unified Command with Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service, Yosemite National Park and the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office. Management of the fire transitioned to a Type 1 Management Team – California Team 4 on Thursday.
Though the west entrance (El Portal) to Yosemite National Park on Highway 140 is closed, the park remains open. For information on Yosemite National Park, go to nps.gov/yose or call 209-372-0200.
The Ferguson Fire started on Friday, July 13, at 8:30 p.m. The cause remains under investigation.
Smoke from the Ferguson Fire is impacting the Mariposa County Air Pollution Control District and across the region. For information specific to Mariposa County visit http://www.mariposacounty.org/index.aspx?NID=1434. For additional information on air quality you can visit the AirNow website or the air fire smoke page.
Smoke is also affecting air quality in locations throughout the northern and central San Joaquin Valley, prompting local air pollution officials to issue a health cautionary statement for Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, and Tulare Counties. Smoke impacts will continue until the fire is extinguished.
Smoke from the fire can cause serious health problems including lung disease, asthma attacks and increased risk of heart attacks and stroke. Where conditions warrant, people with heart or lung disease should follow their doctors’ advice for dealing with episodes of particulate exposure. People with existing respiratory conditions, young children and elderly people are especially susceptible to the health effects from these pollutants. Anyone being exposed to poor air quality or wildfire smoke should move inside to an air-conditioned environment.
Please be advised that the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s Real-time Air Advisory Network (RAAN) monitors are designed to detect the fine particulates (called PM2.5 which are microscopic in size and not visible to the human eye) that exist in smoke. Ash particles are much larger in size and will not be detected by our monitors. Therefore, an area may be experiencing ash impacts from potential fires while the PM monitor reflects a moderate reading. If you can smell smoke or see ash that is an indication that you should be treating air quality conditions as “Unhealthy” (RAAN Level 4 or higher) and remain indoors.
Residents can check the District’s wildfire page at www.valleyair.org/wildfires for information about any current wildfires and whether they are impacting the Valley. The District’s Real-time Air Advisory Network (RAAN) provides localized air quality data from an extensive air-monitoring network which allows Valley residents to track PM at any Valley address by visiting myraan.com.
Residents can also follow air quality conditions by downloading the free “Valley Air” app, available in the Apple store or Google Play.
To sign up for the Mariposa Sheriff’s Office Emergency Alert System visit https://local.nixle.com/register
To register for email updates for the Ferguson Fire Information visit www.tinyurl.com/fergusonfire
For additional information on returning home after a wildfire, go to http://www.readyforwildfire.org/After-a -Wildfire
Evacuations
Mandatory evacuations are in place for:
- Savage Trading Post
- Redbud Lodge
- Cedar Lodge
- Indian Flat Campground
- Mariposa Pines
- Sweetwater Ridge
- Ferguson Ridge
- Jerseydale including all residences on Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road
- Incline Road from Clearing House to the Foresta Bridge in El Portal
- The BLM campgrounds in Briceburg are closed until further notice
- El Portal Trailer Park
- National Park Service El Portal Complex
- Rancheria Flat – Government Housing
- Old El Portal
- Lushmeadows Community
- Ponderosa Basin Community
- Triangle Road from Jerseydale Road to Highway 49 South including all side roads
- Darrah Road from Triangle to Sherrod Road
- East side of Highway 49S from Darrah Road to Harris Cutoff Road – This includes Boyer Road, Woodland Area, Wass Road and Tip Top Road
- Yosemite West
Should these areas come under a mandatory evacuation order you will be notified via the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Alert System by text, email and a voice call, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, and door-to-door communication by Sheriff’s Office staff. At that time you will be notified of the best routes of travel to safely evacuate your residence.
A Red Cross Evacuation Center has been established at the New Life Christian Church located at 5089 Cole Road in Mariposa. If you have been evacuated due to the Ferguson Fire, the Sheriff’s Office asks that you please check in with the Red Cross Shelter even if you do not plan to stay there.
If you are in a Mandatory Evacuation or Advisory Area and may require assistance with evacuation transportation due to special needs or medical issues, please contact Human Services toll free at 1-833-423-0816 as soon as possible.
Planning ahead will help with a safe and timely evacuation.
Animal Evacuation Centers
Small Animal Shelter is at SPCA of Mariposa County, 5599 Highway 49 in Mariposa.
Large Animal Shelter is at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds, 5007 Fairgrounds Road in Mariposa.
Road Closures
Highway 140 is closed from Abbie Road in El Portal to 14 miles north of Mariposa.
Also closed are Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road; River Road from Briceburg to the gate at Railroad Flat and all campground areas are closed; Hites Cove Road from Bear Clover Road to the Merced River.
Cooperating Agencies include the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, CAL OES, California Highway Patrol, Caltrans, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, American Red Cross, National Weather Service, California Conservation Corps, BLM and additional agencies throughout the state.
Ferguson Fire Map
Click on image to enlarge
Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park Closed
Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park closed to the public at 10 pm Thursday for wildfire operations until further notice.
Firefighters battling the nearby Ferguson Fire are setting up base camps at the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area near Badger Pass and Bridalveil Creek Campground, which is also closed.
"The road closure is to ensure there are no conflicts with park visitors and the extra fire traffic, as well as the possibility of helicopter operations in the immediate area," officials posted on the Yosemite Facebook page.
Firefighters battling the nearby Ferguson Fire are setting up base camps at the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area near Badger Pass and Bridalveil Creek Campground, which is also closed.
"The road closure is to ensure there are no conflicts with park visitors and the extra fire traffic, as well as the possibility of helicopter operations in the immediate area," officials posted on the Yosemite Facebook page.
Ferguson Fire Still 7% Contained - July 20
WAWONA COMMUNITY MEETING- FERGUSON FIRE
Wawona Barn Dance Cancelled Saturday, July 21
Due to excessive smoke the Wawona Barn Dance that has been scheduled for Saturday, July 21, has been canceled.
The next regularly scheduled Barn Dance in the Wawona Grey Barn is scheduled for Saturday, August 4, from 8:00 to 10:00 pm.
Ferguson Fire at 21,000 Acres, 7% Contained, July 19
Smoke Continues To Hamper The Air Ops On Ferguson Fire
Firing operations behind Sweetwater Ridge on Ferguson Fire from Rancheria Creek Road in Midpines - photo courtesy of Les Marsden
Posted by: gina clugston July 18, 2018 - 7:39 pm
MARIPOSA COUNTY – It was another hot and humid day on the Ferguson Fire as it continues to push south and east.
As of this posting, a new estimate on the size of the fire has not come out. We will update here when that happens. This morning the fire was estimated at 17,319 acres with 5 percent containment.
Resources continue to arrive at the Incident Command Post in Ahwahnee from all over the region. There are currently 2,149 personnel assigned to the incident including 166 engines, 55 crews, 29 dozers, 21 water tenders, 18 helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft as conditions allow.
Once again the dense inversion layer limited air operations over the fire for a good part of the day. While the smoke lifted early, it re-settled in the afternoon. Aircraft were able to get some work done, however at 2 p.m., Air Attack reported they were down to zero visibility again. At 2:10 p.m., all helicopter work was suspended, and it was around 6 p.m before aircraft could get back to work.
Before helicopters were grounded they were able to get some good retardant drops in on Ferguson Ridge and Sweetwater Ridge. The fire continues working its way north along Ferguson Ridge toward Highway 140 and down into Sweetwater Creek. Crews have line along Sweetwater Ridge and will be doing burnout operations tonight as needed.
Just before the evening briefing at 6 p.m., reports came in that a rockslide had come down in that area into Highway 140, and by 6:45 p.m. a Caltrans plow truck had arrived at scene to move the rocks and burning debris from the roadway.
Fire crews were successful in completing containment lines from just west of Indian Flat to west of Cedar Lodge, and crews have worked to control the fire’s spread along Cold Creek. The fire is expected to continue to move east across the slope through the night.
Firefighters have a good solid fireline around Cedar Lodge and Redbud Lodge, say fire officials. Structure protection continues along the Highway 140 corridor.
The fire continues to back down the mountain towards El Portal, but crews made good progress on the contingency line across from Highway 140 west of El Portal to tie in to the dozer line across Henness Ridge. They plan to tie that line in all the way across to Wawona Road to prevent the spread of the fire toward Yosemite West.
On the southern part of the fire dozers cut line south and east of Jerseydale along Footman Ridge, and tied it in to the line across the head of Skelton Creek. They also reinforced containment lines around Jerseydale and Mariposa Pines, and conducted burnout operations to remove the unburned fuel above the two communities so the fire has nothing to burn as it approaches.
As expected, hot and dry conditions persisted throughout the day. While the smoke lifted early, it re-settled in the late afternoon, again hampering visibility and grounding aircraft. Some thunderstorms were observed on the east side of the Sierra Nevada, but officials say they had little effect on the fire’s growth. More monsoonal moisture is expected tomorrow.
There are currently 108 structures threatened by the Ferguson Fire including 70 homes, 3 commercial buildings and 35 outbuildings. So far no structures have been lost.
There have been three firefighter injuries reported. There has been one fatality on the fire.
The Incident Command Post for the Ferguson Fire is now at the Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park. Please be aware of heavy fire equipment moving through the area.
The fire is under Unified Command with Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service and the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office. Tomorrow they will transition to a Type 1 Management Team – California Team 4.
The Ferguson Fire started on Friday, July 13, at 8:30 p.m. The cause remains under investigation.
There have been no additional evacuations or advisories issued in the past 48 hours.
Evacuations
Mandatory evacuations are in place for:
- Savage Trading Post
- Redbud Lodge
- Cedar Lodge
- Indian Flat Campground
- Mariposa Pines
- Sweetwater Ridge
- Ferguson Ridge
- Jerseydale including all residences on Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road
- Incline Road from Clearing House to the Foresta Bridge in El Portal
- The BLM campgrounds in Briceburg are closed until further notice
- National Park Service El Portal Complex
- Rancheria Flat – Government Housing
- El Portal Trailer Court
- Old El Portal
- Lushmeadows Community
- Ponderosa Basin Community
- Triangle Road from Jerseydale Road to Highway 49 South including all side roads
- Darrah Road from Triangle to Sherrod Road
- East side of Highway 49S from Darrah Road to Harris Cutoff Road – This includes Boyer Road, Woodland Area, Wass Road and Tip Top Road
- Yosemite West
These areas are NOT under a mandatory evacuation order. This is an advisement only of a potential evacuation order should conditions change.
Should these areas come under a mandatory evacuation order you will be notified via the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Alert System by text, email and a voice call, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, and door-to-door communication by Sheriff’s Office staff. At that time you will be notified of the best routes of travel to safely evacuate your residence.
A Red Cross Evacuation Center has been established at the New Life Christian Church located at 5089 Cole Road in Mariposa. If you have been evacuated due to the Ferguson Fire, the Sheriff’s Office asks that you please check in with the Red Cross Shelter even if you do not plan to stay there.
If you are in a Mandatory Evacuation or Advisory Area and may require assistance with evacuation transportation due to special needs or medical issues, please contact Human Services toll free at 1-833-423-0816 as soon as possible.
Planning ahead will help with a safe and timely evacuation.
Animal Evacuation Centers
Small Animal Shelter is at SPCA of Mariposa County, 5599 Highway 49 in Mariposa.
Large Animal Shelter is at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds, 5007 Fairgrounds Road in Mariposa.
Road Closures
Highway 140 is closed from Abbie Road in El Portal to 14 miles north of Mariposa.
Also closed are Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road; River Road from Briceburg to the gate at Railroad Flat and all campground areas are closed; Hites Cove Road from Bear Clover Road to the Merced River.
Cooperating Agencies include the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, CAL OES, California Highway Patrol, Caltrans, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, American Red Cross, National Weather Service, California Conservation Corps, BLM and additional agencies throughout the state.
Ferguson Fire Grows To Over 17,000 Acres
Posted by: gina clugston July 18, 2018 - 7:45 am
MARIPOSA COUNTY – The Ferguson Fire continues to push out in all directions, growing 4,000 acres overnight.
The fire is now 17,319 acres and is still estimated at 5 percent containment. No new evacuations have been ordered in the past 24 hours.
Fire managers describe the fire activity overnight as “fairly quiet,” with activity picking up in the area around Sweetwater Creek shortly before dawn. The fire is now established in the bottom of Sweetwater Creek.
Crews worked overnight on securing line around Cedar Lodge and Indian Flat. The power line has been completed, and power has been restored to the area. Work also continued on containment lines protecting the communities of Jerseydale/ Mariposa Pines and Yosemite West.
Today, crews will continue to monitor and mop up in the areas around Cedar Lodge, Indian Flat and Cold Canyon. They will begin contingency line construction up Pinoche Ridge from the Merced River, improve dozer and handlines around Yosemite West and Jerseydale, and take suppression action to keep the fire East of Snyder Ridge. They will also use aerial resources to try to keep the fire on top of Ferguson Ridge when conditions permit.
Weather today is predicted to be hot and dry, and the smoke inversion is again expected to stay over the area until mid- to late afternoon. Monsoonal moisture is expected to start pushing in from the south, and some thunderstorm buildup can be expected over the Sierra crest by late afternoon. Thunderstorms can produce gusty, erratic winds, causing hazards to firefighters.
There are currently 1,850 personnel assigned to the incident including 158 engines, 44 crews, 16 dozers, 5 water tenders, 5 helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft as conditions allow.
Sierra National Forest Supervisor Dean Gould has issued an order closing parts of the Forest within the Ferguson Fire suppression area:
The purpose of this closure is to provide safety to the public and for the firefighters who are engaged in fire suppression and rehabilitation efforts within the Ferguson Fire Closure Area, as shown on Exhibits A and B. Closure of the fire area is necessary to help ensure that no one is injured within or near the active fire perimeter.
All National Forest System roads and trails, within closure area will be closed due to fire suppression and rehabilitation activities that create a hazard to the public which includes the use of heavy equipment, the falling of hazard trees that were weakened by the fire and the construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of fuel breaks. This closure will remain in effect until the fire is declared out.
This Order is effective from July 18, 2018, until the Ferguson Fire is declared out.
1. Going into or being upon National Forest System lands within the Ferguson Fire Closure Area. The boundary of the Ferguson Fire Closure Area begins at the intersection of Highway 140 and the Sierra National Forest Boundary, then continues south and east along the Sierra National Forest Boundary to its intersection with Forest Road No. 6S24, then continues east and north along the northern edge of Forest Road No. 6S24 to its intersection with the western edge of Highway 41, then continues north along the western edge Highway 41 to its intersection with the Yosemite National Park Boundary, then continues northeast along the Yosemite National Park Boundary to its intersection with the Merced River near the Red Bud Picnic Area, then continues west along the Sierra National Forest Boundary back to its starting point, as shown on Exhibits A and B. 36 CFR 261.52(e).
2. Being on any National Forest System road within the Ferguson Fire Closure Area, as shown on Exhibits A and B. 36 CFR 261.54(e).
3. Being on any National Forest System trail within the Ferguson Fire Closure Area, as shown on Exhibits A and B. 36 CFR 261.55(a).
Pursuant to 36 CFR 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order:
- Persons with a permit from the Forest Service specifically authorizing the otherwise prohibited act or omission.
- Any Federal, State, or local officer or member of an organized rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of an official duty.
There are currently 108 structures threatened by the Ferguson Fire including 70 homes, 3 commercial buildings and 35 outbuildings. So far no structures have been lost.
There have been two firefighter injuries reported. There has been one fatality on the fire.
The Incident Command Post for the Ferguson Fire is now at the Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park. Please be aware of heavy fire equipment moving through the area.
The fire is under Unified Command with Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service and the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office.
There will be a community meeting at 4 p.m. today at the El Portal Community Center.
The Ferguson Fire started on Friday, July 13, at 8:30 p.m. The cause remains under investigation.
Evacuations
Mandatory evacuations are in place for:
- Savage Trading Post
- Redbud Lodge
- Cedar Lodge
- Indian Flat Campground
- Mariposa Pines
- Sweetwater Ridge
- Ferguson Ridge
- Jerseydale including all residences on Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road
- Incline Road from Clearing House to the Foresta Bridge in El Portal
- The BLM campgrounds in Briceburg are closed until further notice
Advisories have been issued for the following locations:
- National Park Service El Portal Complex
- Rancheria Flat – Government Housing
- El Portal Trailer Court
- Old El Portal
- Lushmeadows Community
- Ponderosa Basin Community
- Triangle Road from Jerseydale Road to Highway 49 South including all side roads
- Darrah Road from Triangle to Sherrod Road
- East side of Highway 49S from Darrah Road to Harris Cutoff Road – This includes Boyer Road, Woodland Area, Wass Road and Tip Top Road
- Yosemite West
Should these areas come under a mandatory evacuation order you will be notified via the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Alert System by text, email and a voice call, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, and door-to-door communication by Sheriff’s Office staff. At that time you will be notified of the best routes of travel to safely evacuate your residence.
A Red Cross Evacuation Center has been established at the New Life Christian Church located at 5089 Cole Road in Mariposa. If you have been evacuated due to the Ferguson Fire, the Sheriff’s Office asks that you please check in with the Red Cross Shelter even if you do not plan to stay there.
Ferguson Fire: Residents with special needs/medical issues needing transportation assistance with evacuations
If you are in a Mandatory Evacuation or Advisory Area and may require assistance with evacuation transportation due to special needs or medical issues, please contact Human Services toll free at 1-833-423-0816 as soon as possible.
Planning ahead will help with a safe and timely evacuation.
Animal Evacuation Centers
Small Animal Shelter is at SPCA of Mariposa County, 5599 Highway 49 in Mariposa.
Large Animal Shelter is at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds, 5007 Fairgrounds Road in Mariposa.
Road Closures
Highway 140 is closed from Abbie Road in El Portal to 14 miles north of Mariposa.
Also closed are Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road; River Road from Briceburg to the gate at Railroad Flat and all campground areas are closed; Hites Cove Road from Bear Clover Road to the Merced River.
Cooperating Agencies include the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, CAL OES, California Highway Patrol, Caltrans, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, American Red Cross, National Weather Service, California Conservation Corps, BLM and additional agencies throughout the state.
Officials Talk To Packed House About Ferguson Fire, Now Over 13,000 Acres
Posted by: gina clugston July 17, 2018 - 9:19 pm
MARIPOSA COUNTY – It was standing room only as nearly 300 residents turned out to hear from Ferguson Fire officials about what’s happening, what to expect next, and have their questions answered.
But before the meeting, fire managers at the ICP discussed the day’s activity on the fireline at the evening briefing.
The fire has grown to 13,082 acres with 5 percent containment. We will have new maps after tonight’s flyover.
Heavy smoke throughout the morning hours again today prevented air resources from joining the firefight until late afternoon. Just before 9:30 a.m., Air Attack reported he wasn’t able to see anything, and at 11 a.m. reported one-quarter-mile visibility.
The fire continued to back down into Sweetwater Creek on the north but did not cross the creek or threaten Sweetwater ridge. It continued to move out to the north along Ferguson Ridge and down along Highway 140 where there is quite a bit of fire along the road.
For firefighter safety, the lane of Highway 140 closest to the mountain has been coned off as rocks and debris crash down from the steep slopes.
Hot Shots working near Cedar Lodge report that they will have fire around the lodge by this evening, and they are continuing structure protection.
The fire is now fairly well-established in the Coldwater Creek drainage up near El Portal, where it’s continuing to move slowly north, backing down the steep mountainsides.
Crews constructed about a quarter-mile of indirect hand line from the Merced River up towards Henness Ridge today. The dozer line below the community of Yosemite West was also improved, and they will work to clean that up by tomorrow. Structure protection continues, and there has been no evacuation order for this area.
Just east of Mariposa Pines, the fire is fairly well-established in Skelton Creek and has crossed the creek to within a quarter-mile of the contingency dozer line. Dozers pushed a six-blade wide line from Skelton Creek down towards Darrah, about a mile down toward Roundtree saddle, said fire managers.
North of Mariposa Pines along Snyder Ridge the fire “backed down nicely all day long.” There are still a few unburned sections inside the dozer lines, and the night shift may do a bit of burning in there tonight, but didn’t want to put any extra heat in there during the day.
With completed dozer line across to Nutmeg Gulch and over to Feliciana, they have it “just about blocked off.”
At tonight’s meeting fire officials explained to concerned residents about the “big box.” On a fire of any size, they create a box on the four sides of the fire, and then work their plan to contain it within those boundaries.
When asked by a resident how large this fire would get, fire officials showed it on the map and indicated the boundaries of the big box — hold the fire south of Highway 140, east of Sweetwater Ridge, north of Mariposa Pines and Jerseydale, and west of Henness Branch. That drew a murmur from the crowd as there seemed to be a lot of space between the fire’s edge shown on the map and the east side of the box.
“That’s the worse case scenario,” was the response from officials. “We are doing everything we can to tighten it up in this area.” The area referred to was the 2-1/2 to 3 miles between the east edge of the fire and the community of Yosemite West.
“There are a lot of things out there named ‘devil.’ And the old-timers named it that for a reason. It’s very steep, it’s rocky and it’s really dangerous for firefighters to get in there and work. There’s no egress. Also, it’s hot. They’re wearing full gear, long sleeves, helmets and gloves, carrying 45 pound packs, in 100 degree weather.” Those conditions are exacerbated by the lack of air support until late in the day.
Officials expect things to change tomorrow, weather-wise, which will allow them to really attack that eastern perimeter. However it will be a mixed blessing. An unstable air mass will likely move the inversion out and allow aircraft to attack directly in that rugged, inaccessible terrain. But it will also put more air on the fire.
With the Ferguson Fire one of the largest burning in California right now, resource orders are being filled. According to Air Operations, there will be eight Type 1 and six Type 2 helicopters over the fire tomorrow, along with VLATS which can put down 20,000 gallons of retardant.
Also tomorrow comes the possibility of thunderstorm development, which could give the fire the ventilation it needs to pick up steam.
Someone at tonight’s meeting asked if they should be worried if they see fire engines driving through their neighborhood.
“We use a lot of different tactical tools to plan for any eventuality,” was the answer. “If you see fire personnel out there, they’re gathering intel so we can build a good strategy, a good plan, and use the right tactical tools when the time comes, whether it’s engines, dozers, crews or aircraft.”
Someone wanted to know if they would be doing burning operations in Ponderosa Basin.
“It’s a possibility,” was the answer. “That’s why we’re putting in these contingency lines. And we want to burn on our terms, under controlled conditions. Will we fire it off? Probably. If that’s what we need to do.”
There was a question about ingress and egress onto larger properties and ranches.
“If you have livestock and you’re leaving, call the Sheriff’s Office at 209-966-3615 and communicate with the Animal Control Unit,” said Sheriff Doug Binnewies. “More information from you will help us in discussing if we need to assist, and how we can help evacuate livestock if necessary, or if you need to feed and water. We may be able to arrange for armed law enforcement officers to escort you and stay with you while you take care of business.”
The Sheriff says sometimes they have to prioritize those requests, and sometimes they don’t have the staff to assist, “but we’ll work with you as best we can. As a result of the Detwiler Fire we’ve increased our staff, we have our Posse, and we’ve purchased equipment to help transport stock.”
So what about security? Residents were advised to “lock your house, close your drapes, leave an outside light on, but leave the gate unlocked. Otherwise Fire will just have to cut your locks.”
At last came the question that always seems to be asked in any community meeting concerning a large fire – “Are you just letting this burn, or are you trying to put it out?”
“We have over 1,800 firefighters, a large number of Type 1 and Type 2 helicopters, VLATS, and a mobile retardant base. We’ve ramped it up and are bringing in a Type 1 team to fight this fire.” Yes, they’re doing their best to put it out.
Officials stayed after the questions wrapped up so that citizens could speak directly with them and express their more specific concerns. There will be another community meeting tomorrow in El Portal at 4 p.m. at the El Portal Community Center.
There are currently 108 structures threatened by the Ferguson Fire including 70 homes, 3 commercial buildings and 35 outbuildings. So far no structures have been lost.
There were two injuries on the fireline today that required medical transport for what were reported to be leg injuries. Two other medical situations were heat-related. There has been one fatality on the fire.
Just after 1 p.m. today the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office announced that Yosemite West, El Portal, Foresta and Indian Flat were experiencing an extended power outage due to fire activity. At that time there was no estimated time for restoring power.
There are currently 1,850 personnel assigned to the incident including 158 engines, 44 crews, 16 dozers, 5 water tenders, 5 helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft as conditions allow.
The Incident Command Post for the Ferguson Fire is now at the Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park. Please be aware of heavy fire equipment moving through the area.
The fire is under Unified Command with Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service and the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office.
The Ferguson Fire started on Friday, July 13, at 8:30 p.m. The cause remains under investigation.
Evacuations
Mandatory evacuations are in place for:
Should these areas come under a mandatory evacuation order you will be notified via the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Alert System by text, email and a voice call, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, and door-to-door communication by Sheriff’s Office staff. At that time you will be notified of the best routes of travel to safely evacuate your residence.
A Red Cross Evacuation Center has been established at the New Life Christian Church located at 5089 Cole Road in Mariposa. If you have been evacuated due to the Ferguson Fire, the Sheriff’s Office asks that you please check in with the Red Cross Shelter even if you do not plan to stay there.
Ferguson Fire: Residents with special needs/medical issues needing transportation assistance with evacuations
If you are in a Mandatory Evacuation or Advisory Area and may require assistance with evacuation transportation due to special needs or medical issues, please contact Human Services toll free at 1-833-423-0816 as soon as possible.
Planning ahead will help with a safe and timely evacuation.
Animal Evacuation Centers
Small Animal Shelter is at SPCA of Mariposa County, 5599 Highway 49 in Mariposa.
Large Animal Shelter is at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds, 5007 Fairgrounds Road in Mariposa.
Road Closures
Highway 140 is closed from Abbie Road in El Portal to 14 miles north of Mariposa.
Also closed are Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road; River Road from Briceburg to the gate at Railroad Flat and all campground areas are closed; Hites Cove Road from Bear Clover Road to the Merced River.
Cooperating Agencies include the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, CAL OES, California Highway Patrol, Caltrans, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, American Red Cross, National Weather Service, California Conservation Corps, BLM and additional agencies throughout the state.
Maps below are from this morning.
MARIPOSA COUNTY – It was standing room only as nearly 300 residents turned out to hear from Ferguson Fire officials about what’s happening, what to expect next, and have their questions answered.
But before the meeting, fire managers at the ICP discussed the day’s activity on the fireline at the evening briefing.
The fire has grown to 13,082 acres with 5 percent containment. We will have new maps after tonight’s flyover.
Heavy smoke throughout the morning hours again today prevented air resources from joining the firefight until late afternoon. Just before 9:30 a.m., Air Attack reported he wasn’t able to see anything, and at 11 a.m. reported one-quarter-mile visibility.
The fire continued to back down into Sweetwater Creek on the north but did not cross the creek or threaten Sweetwater ridge. It continued to move out to the north along Ferguson Ridge and down along Highway 140 where there is quite a bit of fire along the road.
For firefighter safety, the lane of Highway 140 closest to the mountain has been coned off as rocks and debris crash down from the steep slopes.
Hot Shots working near Cedar Lodge report that they will have fire around the lodge by this evening, and they are continuing structure protection.
The fire is now fairly well-established in the Coldwater Creek drainage up near El Portal, where it’s continuing to move slowly north, backing down the steep mountainsides.
Crews constructed about a quarter-mile of indirect hand line from the Merced River up towards Henness Ridge today. The dozer line below the community of Yosemite West was also improved, and they will work to clean that up by tomorrow. Structure protection continues, and there has been no evacuation order for this area.
Just east of Mariposa Pines, the fire is fairly well-established in Skelton Creek and has crossed the creek to within a quarter-mile of the contingency dozer line. Dozers pushed a six-blade wide line from Skelton Creek down towards Darrah, about a mile down toward Roundtree saddle, said fire managers.
North of Mariposa Pines along Snyder Ridge the fire “backed down nicely all day long.” There are still a few unburned sections inside the dozer lines, and the night shift may do a bit of burning in there tonight, but didn’t want to put any extra heat in there during the day.
With completed dozer line across to Nutmeg Gulch and over to Feliciana, they have it “just about blocked off.”
At tonight’s meeting fire officials explained to concerned residents about the “big box.” On a fire of any size, they create a box on the four sides of the fire, and then work their plan to contain it within those boundaries.
When asked by a resident how large this fire would get, fire officials showed it on the map and indicated the boundaries of the big box — hold the fire south of Highway 140, east of Sweetwater Ridge, north of Mariposa Pines and Jerseydale, and west of Henness Branch. That drew a murmur from the crowd as there seemed to be a lot of space between the fire’s edge shown on the map and the east side of the box.
“That’s the worse case scenario,” was the response from officials. “We are doing everything we can to tighten it up in this area.” The area referred to was the 2-1/2 to 3 miles between the east edge of the fire and the community of Yosemite West.
“There are a lot of things out there named ‘devil.’ And the old-timers named it that for a reason. It’s very steep, it’s rocky and it’s really dangerous for firefighters to get in there and work. There’s no egress. Also, it’s hot. They’re wearing full gear, long sleeves, helmets and gloves, carrying 45 pound packs, in 100 degree weather.” Those conditions are exacerbated by the lack of air support until late in the day.
Officials expect things to change tomorrow, weather-wise, which will allow them to really attack that eastern perimeter. However it will be a mixed blessing. An unstable air mass will likely move the inversion out and allow aircraft to attack directly in that rugged, inaccessible terrain. But it will also put more air on the fire.
With the Ferguson Fire one of the largest burning in California right now, resource orders are being filled. According to Air Operations, there will be eight Type 1 and six Type 2 helicopters over the fire tomorrow, along with VLATS which can put down 20,000 gallons of retardant.
Also tomorrow comes the possibility of thunderstorm development, which could give the fire the ventilation it needs to pick up steam.
Someone at tonight’s meeting asked if they should be worried if they see fire engines driving through their neighborhood.
“We use a lot of different tactical tools to plan for any eventuality,” was the answer. “If you see fire personnel out there, they’re gathering intel so we can build a good strategy, a good plan, and use the right tactical tools when the time comes, whether it’s engines, dozers, crews or aircraft.”
Someone wanted to know if they would be doing burning operations in Ponderosa Basin.
“It’s a possibility,” was the answer. “That’s why we’re putting in these contingency lines. And we want to burn on our terms, under controlled conditions. Will we fire it off? Probably. If that’s what we need to do.”
There was a question about ingress and egress onto larger properties and ranches.
“If you have livestock and you’re leaving, call the Sheriff’s Office at 209-966-3615 and communicate with the Animal Control Unit,” said Sheriff Doug Binnewies. “More information from you will help us in discussing if we need to assist, and how we can help evacuate livestock if necessary, or if you need to feed and water. We may be able to arrange for armed law enforcement officers to escort you and stay with you while you take care of business.”
The Sheriff says sometimes they have to prioritize those requests, and sometimes they don’t have the staff to assist, “but we’ll work with you as best we can. As a result of the Detwiler Fire we’ve increased our staff, we have our Posse, and we’ve purchased equipment to help transport stock.”
So what about security? Residents were advised to “lock your house, close your drapes, leave an outside light on, but leave the gate unlocked. Otherwise Fire will just have to cut your locks.”
At last came the question that always seems to be asked in any community meeting concerning a large fire – “Are you just letting this burn, or are you trying to put it out?”
“We have over 1,800 firefighters, a large number of Type 1 and Type 2 helicopters, VLATS, and a mobile retardant base. We’ve ramped it up and are bringing in a Type 1 team to fight this fire.” Yes, they’re doing their best to put it out.
Officials stayed after the questions wrapped up so that citizens could speak directly with them and express their more specific concerns. There will be another community meeting tomorrow in El Portal at 4 p.m. at the El Portal Community Center.
There are currently 108 structures threatened by the Ferguson Fire including 70 homes, 3 commercial buildings and 35 outbuildings. So far no structures have been lost.
There were two injuries on the fireline today that required medical transport for what were reported to be leg injuries. Two other medical situations were heat-related. There has been one fatality on the fire.
Just after 1 p.m. today the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office announced that Yosemite West, El Portal, Foresta and Indian Flat were experiencing an extended power outage due to fire activity. At that time there was no estimated time for restoring power.
There are currently 1,850 personnel assigned to the incident including 158 engines, 44 crews, 16 dozers, 5 water tenders, 5 helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft as conditions allow.
The Incident Command Post for the Ferguson Fire is now at the Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park. Please be aware of heavy fire equipment moving through the area.
The fire is under Unified Command with Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service and the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office.
The Ferguson Fire started on Friday, July 13, at 8:30 p.m. The cause remains under investigation.
Evacuations
Mandatory evacuations are in place for:
- Savage Trading Post
- Redbud Lodge
- Cedar Lodge
- Indian Flat Campground
- Mariposa Pines
- Sweetwater Ridge
- Ferguson Ridge
- Jerseydale including all residences on Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road
- Incline Road from Clearing House to the Foresta Bridge in El Portal
- The BLM campgrounds in Briceburg are closed until further notice
- National Park Service El Portal Complex
- Rancheria Flat – Government Housing
- El Portal Trailer Court
- Old El Portal
- Lushmeadows Community
- Ponderosa Basin Community
- Triangle Road from Jerseydale Road to Highway 49 South including all side roads
- Darrah Road from Triangle to Sherrod Road
- East side of Highway 49S from Darrah Road to Harris Cutoff Road – This includes Boyer Road, Woodland Area, Wass Road and Tip Top Road
- Yosemite West
Should these areas come under a mandatory evacuation order you will be notified via the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Alert System by text, email and a voice call, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, and door-to-door communication by Sheriff’s Office staff. At that time you will be notified of the best routes of travel to safely evacuate your residence.
A Red Cross Evacuation Center has been established at the New Life Christian Church located at 5089 Cole Road in Mariposa. If you have been evacuated due to the Ferguson Fire, the Sheriff’s Office asks that you please check in with the Red Cross Shelter even if you do not plan to stay there.
Ferguson Fire: Residents with special needs/medical issues needing transportation assistance with evacuations
If you are in a Mandatory Evacuation or Advisory Area and may require assistance with evacuation transportation due to special needs or medical issues, please contact Human Services toll free at 1-833-423-0816 as soon as possible.
Planning ahead will help with a safe and timely evacuation.
Animal Evacuation Centers
Small Animal Shelter is at SPCA of Mariposa County, 5599 Highway 49 in Mariposa.
Large Animal Shelter is at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds, 5007 Fairgrounds Road in Mariposa.
Road Closures
Highway 140 is closed from Abbie Road in El Portal to 14 miles north of Mariposa.
Also closed are Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hites Cove Road; River Road from Briceburg to the gate at Railroad Flat and all campground areas are closed; Hites Cove Road from Bear Clover Road to the Merced River.
Cooperating Agencies include the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, CAL OES, California Highway Patrol, Caltrans, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, American Red Cross, National Weather Service, California Conservation Corps, BLM and additional agencies throughout the state.
Maps below are from this morning.
Ferguson Fire Perimeter for July 16
click on image to enlarge
Caltrans Postpones Paving Work On Busy Local Highways
by: Kellie Flanagan - sierra news online
MADERA COUNTY — Good news for those who were concerned about anticipated delays on Highway 41 and Highway 49 for the next several weeks — especially with the extended closure of Highway 140 near the El Portal entrance to Yosemite National Park, due to the Ferguson Fire.
Caltrans has decided to postpone the previously scheduled paving project.
Caltrans, in cooperation with Teichert Construction, announced on Friday, July 13 that one-way traffic control on State Route 41 and State Route 49 would take place near Oakhurst for “several weeks due to paving operations.”
Today, Caltrans says that the project has been postponed. No reason for the action was given, nor was a reschedule date for the project provided at this time.
MADERA COUNTY — Good news for those who were concerned about anticipated delays on Highway 41 and Highway 49 for the next several weeks — especially with the extended closure of Highway 140 near the El Portal entrance to Yosemite National Park, due to the Ferguson Fire.
Caltrans has decided to postpone the previously scheduled paving project.
Caltrans, in cooperation with Teichert Construction, announced on Friday, July 13 that one-way traffic control on State Route 41 and State Route 49 would take place near Oakhurst for “several weeks due to paving operations.”
Today, Caltrans says that the project has been postponed. No reason for the action was given, nor was a reschedule date for the project provided at this time.
Sierra National Forest Ferguson Fire 6 PM Update July 15, 2018
Yosemite West Set To Evacuate
The Mariposa County Sheriff issued a warning statement this morning that Yosemite West residents and tenants should "prepare for evacuation" due to the rapidly approaching Ferguson Fire.
The notice posted 10:32am today at https://local.nixle.com/alert/6685372/ stated that people currently in Yosemite West should pack bags and be prepared for the possibility of a coming actual evacuation order.
The Sheriff currently advises people to leave the Yosemite West area, but evacuation is not yet mandatory.
The fire grew quickly last night, and has spread from Midpines to now near Barrel Spring in forest land about 2 miles west from Yosemite West.
Henness Ridge Drive (main access road) is likely closed to all but residents and emergency traffic, and there are reports of fire bulldozer protection being mobilized for Henness Ridge.
The notice posted 10:32am today at https://local.nixle.com/alert/6685372/ stated that people currently in Yosemite West should pack bags and be prepared for the possibility of a coming actual evacuation order.
The Sheriff currently advises people to leave the Yosemite West area, but evacuation is not yet mandatory.
The fire grew quickly last night, and has spread from Midpines to now near Barrel Spring in forest land about 2 miles west from Yosemite West.
Henness Ridge Drive (main access road) is likely closed to all but residents and emergency traffic, and there are reports of fire bulldozer protection being mobilized for Henness Ridge.
Ferguson Fire Makes Major Push Overnight, Now 4,000 Acres
Ferguson Fire on July 14 - photo by Steve Jacobs
Ferguson Fire behind Cedar Lodge July 14 – photo by Kevin Shelton
Posted by: gina clugston - Sierra News Online, July 15, 2018 - 8:27 am
MARIPOSA COUNTY — The Ferguson Fire, burning in the Merced River Canyon between Mariposa and Yosemite National Park, is now estimated at 4,000 acres and is just 2 percent contained.
There are currently 500 personnel assigned to the incident. Smoky conditions are challenging for air operations this morning.
Crews are focused on securing fireline along Highway 140 and protecting structures threatened along the corridor. Structure protection engines have arrived and setting up to protect homes and businesses between Cedar Lodge area and Hite Cove.
Additionally crews are working to extend containment lines east on both the north and south flanks. Firefighters are scouting ridgelines to the east to cut the spread up the South Fork of the Merced River toward Yosemite National Park.
Firefighters are aggressively fighting the fire at locations where they have the highest probability of success. However, they are challenged by extremely steep and hazardous terrain with limited road access.
Crews completed hand line and hose lays around Cedar Lodge and Indian Flat Campground last evening as the fire came within 1/4 mile of the lodge.
Last night at 10:45 p.m., a mandatory evacuation was issued for the Jerseydale area.
This includes all residences on Jerseydale Road, Hites Cove Road and all side roads from Triangle Road to the end of Hite Cove Road.
Savage Trading Post, Redbud Lodge, Cedar Lodge, Indian Flat Campground and Ferguson Ridge are also under mandatory evacuation, and the BLM campgrounds in Briceburg are closed until further notice.
A Red Cross Evacuation Center has been established at the New Life Christian Church located at 5089 Cole Road in Mariposa.
Hwy 140 remains closed from 1.9 miles east of Midpines to the Cedar Lodge/ Incline area.
At about 11 p.m. last night, the fire made a good run up the southwest facing slope in the South Fork of the Merced River canyon on its way to Hite Cove.
Fire managers ordered three more strike teams, three more dozers and three more water tenders, noting that the dozers could wait until morning but need strike teams and water tenders were needed for the night shift.
At 12:35 a.m., Operations reported that the fire had slopped over Ferguson Ridge and it was strongly recommended that Sweetwater Ridge be evacuated first thing in the morning.
This morning there have been reports of fairly active fire behavior over Marble Point and the area headed towards Mariposa Pines.
Recent reports are that the fire is 1.5 miles from Mariposa Pines and 3.0 miles from Jerseydale.
Firefighters will be dealing with predicted triple digit heat today with slight chance of isolated thundershowers on the Sierra ridges.
The Central California Animal Disaster Team is working in coordination with Mariposa Animal Control in dealing with small animals. Right now, they are referring pet owners with small animals to the Mariposa SPCA. If you need assistance with large animal evacuation please call the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office at 209-966-3615.
PG&E has deenergized the power lines running through the fire area, affecting Yosemite, El Portal and Foresta.
At 6 a.m. today, the South Central Sierra Interagency Incident Management Team took over the incident.
Smoke is expected to continue to impact adjoining communities, especially during night and early morning hours. You can learn more about air quality, and daily smoke forecasts by visiting either www.airnow.gov or www.valleyair.org.
So far no structures have been lost and no injuries reported. There has been one fatality on the fire.
The Ferguson Fire started on Friday, July 13, at 8:30 p.m. The cause remains under investigation.
Yoga Session Cancelled Wednesday, July 17
Highway 140 Closed West Of Yosemite Due To Wildfire
Posted by: gina clugston July 13, 2018
MARIPOSA COUNTY – Firefighters are on scene of a large fire burning along Highway 140 between the Ferguson Slide and Cedar Lodge on the Sierra National Forest, just west of the El Portal entrance to Yosemite National Park.
As of 10 p.m., Highway 140 has been closed eastbound at the Bug Hostel west of Briceburg, and westbound at Cedar Lodge. Exact location from D.O.T – from 2.7 miles east of Midpines to 3.5 miles west of Incline.
At about 9 p.m., a battalion chief reported the fire at about 100 acres, 1/4 mile east of Savage Trading Post on the south side of the road.
Though a full wildland dispatch had been called out, he requested 4 more dozers, 6 more ground crews and three additional Type 3 Strike Teams (15 engines).
Units are en route from Tuolumne Calaveras Unit, Fresno Kings Unit and Miramonte. Most incoming engine crews will provide cover for local stations that have already sent their firefighters to the incident, and will report for day shift in the morning.
The fire is burning in steep terrain, limiting access for dozers and engines. There are structures threatened. The fire poses the threat of becoming a major incident depending on wind and resources.
Pre-evacuation warnings have been issued for Savage’s and Cedar Lodge.
PG&E is en route due to power lines in the area, and just before 11 p.m., the incident commander request that power lines be deenergized due to the danger posed to firefighters. That would affect Yosemite, so they need to be notified.
The fire is burning in the footprint of the Motor Fire that burned through the area in 2011. It is reported to be just around the corner from Savage’s and burning south toward Hites Cove.
A later report estimated the size at about 60 acres. Either way, fire officials are taking this very seriously and putting all available resources en route.
Cal Fire is currently managing the incident, but will be in unified command with the Sierra National Forest.
An Incident Command Post has been established at Savage’s.
STATE ROUTE 41 ONE-WAY TRAFFIC CONTROL
IN MADERA COUNTY
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) in cooperation with Teichert Construction announces one-way traffic control on State Route 41 and State Route 49 near the community of Oakhurst in Madera County for several weeks due to paving operations.
The following one-way traffic control will be in effect:
- Starting Monday, July 16 and ending mid-September, one-way traffic control will be in effect at various locations on State Route 41 and State Route 49 in Madera County. Work on State Route 41 will begin at Cedar Valley Road and end at the south gate entrance into Yosemite National Park. Work on State Route 49 will begin at Deer Creek Road and end at the Madera/Mariposa county line. One-way traffic control will be in effect Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily. The closure zones will be up to one-half mile long inside of the respective project work area.
Traffic delays could last for up to 20 minutes at a time during paving operations.
Closures may continue for longer periods of time each day if necessary, due to delays caused by uncontrollable events that may occur during construction.
One-way traffic control will be conducted with the use of flagging personnel through the work zone. Commuters are reminded to obey flagging personnel and pay close attention to vehicles and personnel in construction zones.
YOSEMITE-WAWONA ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOL
Board of Directors Meeting Wawona Elementary School
Wednesday, July 11, 2018, 5:30 PM
7925 Chilnualna Falls Road
Wawona, California
AGENDA
- CALL TO ORDER
- ROLL CALL
- CONSENT AGENDA
- Approval of minutes of the regular meeting, June 27, 2018
- Financial reports
- Monthly approval of warrants (Action needed)
- Financial Report
- Payroll Report
- HEARING OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD
ACTION ITEMS
- Set date for electrical work.
- Discuss and approve student information system program
- Discuss and approve replacing primary copy machine
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
Where is all that smoke coming from?
As many may have noticed the last couple of days have been really smoky . The Lion's Point Fire burning in the Ansel Adams Wilderness near by is actually not the cause. The smoke is coming from the County Fire in Napa and Yolo County. Even though this is quite a distance away, it is not uncommon for smoke to travel long distances, especially during the summer months in the Western United States. The smoke is being carried by a North West transport wind and settling in the valleys in the late night and early morning. This smoke may also get compounded with campfire smoke in Yosemite Valley . For people that are sensitive to smoke please take precaution while recreating in the area, close windows and doors at night, drink plenty of water, and take all prescribed medication if you have pre-existing respiratory problems.
For more information on Air Quality go to the parks air quality page: https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/aqmonitoring.htm
For more information on fires burning in the state of California: http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents
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Yosemite Fire and Aviation Information
[email protected]
209-379-1493
For more information on Air Quality go to the parks air quality page: https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/aqmonitoring.htm
For more information on fires burning in the state of California: http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents
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Yosemite Fire and Aviation Information
[email protected]
209-379-1493
The Fish Camp Community Potluck
The Fish Camp Community Potluck will be this Saturday, July 7 starting at 11 AM at the Fire Station on Summit Road. Please bring your family (even if you did not return the invitation sent by mail)! Bring a potluck dish and serving utensil to share and if you want, something to grill for yourselves. Drinks and table service will be provided.
Tom Bopp will be there to entertain us. We'll provide information on fire safety. There will be a 50-50 raffle, so bring cash or a check to buy tickets. 50% of the money collected will go to the Fish Camp Volunteer Fire Association and the other 50% will be divided between the winners.
See you Saturday!
Donn Harter, Chairman
Fish Camp Volunteer Fire Assn., Inc.
Mobile: 559/676-8276
Email: [email protected]
P O Box 160, Fish Camp, CA 93623
Tom Bopp will be there to entertain us. We'll provide information on fire safety. There will be a 50-50 raffle, so bring cash or a check to buy tickets. 50% of the money collected will go to the Fish Camp Volunteer Fire Association and the other 50% will be divided between the winners.
See you Saturday!
Donn Harter, Chairman
Fish Camp Volunteer Fire Assn., Inc.
Mobile: 559/676-8276
Email: [email protected]
P O Box 160, Fish Camp, CA 93623
YOSEMITE-WAWONA ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOL
Board of Directors Meeting
YOSEMITE-WAWONA ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOL
Board of Directors Meeting
Wawona Elementary School
Wednesday, June 27, 2018, 5:30 PM
7925 Chilnualna Falls Road
Wawona, California
AGENDA
ACTION ITEMS
INFORMATION ITEMS
13.1.Employee Negotiations (Gov. Code 54957.6) Consultant services agreements and employee grievances
13.2.Personnel (Gov. Code 54957)
Board of Directors Meeting
Wawona Elementary School
Wednesday, June 27, 2018, 5:30 PM
7925 Chilnualna Falls Road
Wawona, California
AGENDA
- CALL TO ORDER
- ROLL CALL
- CONSENT AGENDA
- Approval of minutes of the regular meeting, June 13th.
- Financial reports
- Monthly approval of warrants (Action needed)
- Financial Report
- Payroll Report
- HEARING OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD
ACTION ITEMS
- Adopt 2018-2019 Budget
- Adopt 2018-2019 LCAP
- Approve Attendance Report
- Approve CALPADS Report
INFORMATION ITEMS
- BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
- STAFF REPORTS
- NEXT MEETING DATE
- CLOSED SESSION Personnel/Negotiations/Litigation
13.1.Employee Negotiations (Gov. Code 54957.6) Consultant services agreements and employee grievances
13.2.Personnel (Gov. Code 54957)
- RECOVENE IN OPEN SESSION: ANNOUNCE CLOSED SESSION ACTIONS
- ADJOURNMENT
New Wawona Real Estate Listing
8035 A Koon Hollar, Wawona, CA 95389, 3 beds 2 baths 1,400 sqft, $649,000 Click here for more info.
A Renewed View of Some of the World’s Oldest Trees
The grove was closed for three years for renovations intended to make the area healthier for the trees and to manage the impact of crowds of visitors.
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Charles Barth, left, and Andrea Cruden stood in the hollow of the Telescope Tree in the Mariposa Grove at Yosemite National Park.CreditMax Whittaker for The New York Times
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The New York Times - YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — John Muir, the naturalist who was most at home sleeping outdoors on a bed of pine needles in the Sierra Nevada, called giant sequoias the “noblest of God’s trees.”
For three years, some of the most striking examples of these towering marvels were off limits to visitors in Yosemite National Park. After a $40 million renovation — the largest restoration project in the park’s history — the Mariposa Grove, a collection of around 500 mature giant sequoias, reopened last week.
What Muir called a “forest masterpiece” is now back on display.
The renovation addressed a problem that the park has struggled with for years. On the busiest summer days, more than 7,000 cars may converge on the park, which is about a four-hour drive from San Francisco. The gridlock they create amid the stunning chutes of water running down the steep granite slopes of Yosemite’s glacier-carved valley results in a kind of drive-by naturalism that frustrates many.
In the Mariposa grove, which is a 45-minute drive from the Yosemite Valley floor, the traffic brought exhaust fumes and engine noise to the foot of some of the world’s oldest living things. Park rangers feared that the asphalt covering the root systems of the trees could damage them.
For three years, some of the most striking examples of these towering marvels were off limits to visitors in Yosemite National Park. After a $40 million renovation — the largest restoration project in the park’s history — the Mariposa Grove, a collection of around 500 mature giant sequoias, reopened last week.
What Muir called a “forest masterpiece” is now back on display.
The renovation addressed a problem that the park has struggled with for years. On the busiest summer days, more than 7,000 cars may converge on the park, which is about a four-hour drive from San Francisco. The gridlock they create amid the stunning chutes of water running down the steep granite slopes of Yosemite’s glacier-carved valley results in a kind of drive-by naturalism that frustrates many.
In the Mariposa grove, which is a 45-minute drive from the Yosemite Valley floor, the traffic brought exhaust fumes and engine noise to the foot of some of the world’s oldest living things. Park rangers feared that the asphalt covering the root systems of the trees could damage them.
The grove contains hundreds of mature giant sequoias, whose thick, tannin-rich bark makes them among the most resilient of trees.
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Asphalt pavement in the grove was torn up and replaced with dirt walking trails to benefit the sequoias’ relatively shallow root systems.
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One of the trees in the grove, the Grizzly Giant, a massive, battered and gangly sequoia, is estimated to be 1,800 years old (“plus or minus a few centuries,” according to the National Park Service). Early last week, just a few days before visitors were welcomed back into the grove, a deer was calmly enjoying the shade of the trunk, which measures nearly 100 feet in circumference, one-third of a football field’s length.
Partly financed with a $20 million gift from the Yosemite Conservancy, a private philanthropic organization, the renovation involved ripping up nearly an acre and a half of pavement near the trees where cars and trams would pass and replacing it with walking paths made of packed dirt held together with resin. Visitors are now encouraged to take a free shuttle bus from a new parking lot a 10-minute drive away (there is still some accessible parking for disabled visitors at the grove itself). The clanging, smoke-spewing diesel trams which previously took visitors on a tour of the grove have been removed.
“We are not trying to take away anyone’s freedom,” said Scott Gediman, a spokesman for the park. “Take your car, but then park it. And walk.”
With bark that can be more than one foot thick and high levels of tannins to repel insects, giant sequoias are regarded by experts as some of the world’s most resilient trees. Close to 130 million trees of other species died in California over the past decade after being weakened by a five-year drought, but no mature giant sequoias perished, according to Sue Beatty, a restoration ecologist who helped lead the project. Even so, Ms. Beatty and other experts said they saw some signs of stress in the sequoias.
Partly financed with a $20 million gift from the Yosemite Conservancy, a private philanthropic organization, the renovation involved ripping up nearly an acre and a half of pavement near the trees where cars and trams would pass and replacing it with walking paths made of packed dirt held together with resin. Visitors are now encouraged to take a free shuttle bus from a new parking lot a 10-minute drive away (there is still some accessible parking for disabled visitors at the grove itself). The clanging, smoke-spewing diesel trams which previously took visitors on a tour of the grove have been removed.
“We are not trying to take away anyone’s freedom,” said Scott Gediman, a spokesman for the park. “Take your car, but then park it. And walk.”
With bark that can be more than one foot thick and high levels of tannins to repel insects, giant sequoias are regarded by experts as some of the world’s most resilient trees. Close to 130 million trees of other species died in California over the past decade after being weakened by a five-year drought, but no mature giant sequoias perished, according to Sue Beatty, a restoration ecologist who helped lead the project. Even so, Ms. Beatty and other experts said they saw some signs of stress in the sequoias.
Linus Roesch, 2, played under the Grizzly Giant, one of the immense sequoia trees in the grove.
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A cross section of a giant sequoia on display at the grove shows the tree’s many growth rings. The trees can live for 2,000 years or more.
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Giant sequoias do not have a central taproot. Instead, they develop a shallow network of roots, around 3 feet deep, that spreads as far as 200 feet from the trunk, Ms. Beatty said. The asphalt and the trampling feet of visitors in the grove were making the trees more vulnerable.
“This project was all about the trees,” she said. “We wanted to improve their survivability in the time of a changing climate.”
In the main viewing areas, the trees are cordoned by pine fences, although visitors can get up close to the trees in the upper parts of the grove. Culverts were torn up and creeks and wetlands were restored.
Frank Dean, a former park ranger who is head of the Yosemite Conservancy, describes the renovation of the grove as part of an evolution in the way Americans approach the West: from conquest and discovery to preservation.
Early visitors to the Mariposa Grove bored through at least one giant tree, which today is aptly called the California Tunnel Tree. Visitors can still walk through the trunk.
“There’s a greater understanding of how special — and how fragile — it is,” Mr. Dean said of the flora and fauna in the park. “Society has evolved. It’s a lighter-on-the-land approach.”
“This project was all about the trees,” she said. “We wanted to improve their survivability in the time of a changing climate.”
In the main viewing areas, the trees are cordoned by pine fences, although visitors can get up close to the trees in the upper parts of the grove. Culverts were torn up and creeks and wetlands were restored.
Frank Dean, a former park ranger who is head of the Yosemite Conservancy, describes the renovation of the grove as part of an evolution in the way Americans approach the West: from conquest and discovery to preservation.
Early visitors to the Mariposa Grove bored through at least one giant tree, which today is aptly called the California Tunnel Tree. Visitors can still walk through the trunk.
“There’s a greater understanding of how special — and how fragile — it is,” Mr. Dean said of the flora and fauna in the park. “Society has evolved. It’s a lighter-on-the-land approach.”
Jeanne Lay and Bob Borinstein reclined on the trunk of a fallen giant sequoia.
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More than 500 mature giant sequoia trees stand in the Mariposa Grove.
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Yosemite receives around 5 million visitors a year. The park is balancing its mission to attract visitors with a need not to be overwhelmed by them, said Mr. Gediman, the ranger.
“The whole idea of, ‘Here’s an attraction, let’s build a parking lot next to it’ — we’re not doing that any more,” he said
Yosemite isn’t finished with parking lots: a new one for the Mariposa Grove shuttle terminal holds 300 cars. But they are being built farther from the park’s most stunning attractions.
John Muir, whose writings helped alert Americans and the world to the beauty of Yosemite and the importance of preserving it, would probably be put off by the crowds of today. But he would recognize his favorite trees, which he described as immortal and which look very much the way he saw them 150 years ago.
“These colossal trees are as wonderful in fineness of beauty and proportion as in stature — an assemblage of conifers surpassing all that have ever yet been discovered in the forests of the world,” he wrote. “Here indeed is the tree-lover’s paradise.”
“The whole idea of, ‘Here’s an attraction, let’s build a parking lot next to it’ — we’re not doing that any more,” he said
Yosemite isn’t finished with parking lots: a new one for the Mariposa Grove shuttle terminal holds 300 cars. But they are being built farther from the park’s most stunning attractions.
John Muir, whose writings helped alert Americans and the world to the beauty of Yosemite and the importance of preserving it, would probably be put off by the crowds of today. But he would recognize his favorite trees, which he described as immortal and which look very much the way he saw them 150 years ago.
“These colossal trees are as wonderful in fineness of beauty and proportion as in stature — an assemblage of conifers surpassing all that have ever yet been discovered in the forests of the world,” he wrote. “Here indeed is the tree-lover’s paradise.”
Expect Delays With One-Way Traffic Control On Highway 41
Posted by: Kellie Flanagan SNO June 15, 2018 - 2:14 pm
MADERA COUNTY — Heads up, commuters — expect delays as long as 20 minutes on SR-41 north of Oakhurst next week.
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), in cooperation with Michels Pipeline Construction, announces one-way traffic control on State Route 41 near the community of Oakhurst in Madera County for five working days as part of a culvert repair project taking place in Madera County.
The following one-way traffic control will take place (weather permitting):
- Monday, June 18 through Friday, June 22, one-way traffic control will be in effect on a nine-mile stretch of State Route 41 in Madera County, beginning at Crane Valley Road (Road 426) and ending just north of Road 630.
- One-way traffic control will be in effect each day from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily. The closure zones will be up to one-mile long inside of the nine-mile project work area. Traffic could be held for up to 20 minutes at a time while crews work on culvert repairs in the area.
Closures may continue for longer periods of time each day if necessary, due to delays caused by weather or uncontrollable events that may occur during construction. These scheduled closures will occur, weather permitting.
Also taking place on SR-41 north of Oakhurst, in the burn scar area from the Railroad Fire last year: crews contracted by the Forest Service are in the process of removing hazard trees. Further delays in that area may occur. We will update when we have more information.
Commuters are reminded to obey flagging personnel and pay close attention to road maintenance vehicles and personnel. As always, please slow for our Caltrans friends and neighbors in the cone zone.
Mariposa Grove Reopens After Three-year Restoration
Visitors try out the new boardwalk in a Thursday event at the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. The grove opened to the public Friday. (Al Golub Photography)
Los Angeles Times - Yosemite's Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias reopens Friday after the biggest restoration project in the national park's history. It took three years and $40 million to remove parking areas, create a new boardwalk and visitor center, reestablish wetlands and make more improvements to protect the 4-acre habitat for the landmark redwoods.
The grove is home to about 500 big trees near the southern entrance to the park. President Lincoln in 1864 set aside Yosemite Valley and the grove "for public use, resort and recreation."
The restoration project's goals, according to the park's website, were to improve habitat for the trees and improve the experience for visitors.
The grove is home to about 500 big trees near the southern entrance to the park. President Lincoln in 1864 set aside Yosemite Valley and the grove "for public use, resort and recreation."
The restoration project's goals, according to the park's website, were to improve habitat for the trees and improve the experience for visitors.
Yosemite National Park's mounted patrol presents the colors at the reopening of the Mariposa Grove. (Al Golub Photography)
The grove, which closed in July 2015, received visitors and officials Thursday during a preview event.
Mariposa Grove Shuttle Information
There will be a shuttle that is offered by Yosemite Hospitality from The Big Trees Lodge to the Mariposa Grove daily. The purpose of the shuttle is to reduce the number of cars driving into the Grove; however, it is specifically here for the guests of the Lodge, Redwoods, and Wawona residents. The image above shows a travel voucher that residents of Wawona will need to be able to board the shuttle to the Mariposa Grove. Without it they will not be able to board.
We ask that residents of Wawona park down in the parking lot at the store and walk up to the hotel, as parking at the hotel will be tight. Shuttles will leave from the Big Trees Lodge to Mariposa Grove at the following times: 9:30AM, 10:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 3:00 PM, 4:30 PM and 6:00 PM. Shuttles back from Mariposa Grove to the Big Trees Lodge will be 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 3:30 PM, 5:00 PM, 6:30 PM. If someone misses the 6 PM YH the shuttle will not be able to bring them back to Wawona. If times to this schedule change we will be posting an updated travel voucher.
We ask that residents of Wawona park down in the parking lot at the store and walk up to the hotel, as parking at the hotel will be tight. Shuttles will leave from the Big Trees Lodge to Mariposa Grove at the following times: 9:30AM, 10:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 3:00 PM, 4:30 PM and 6:00 PM. Shuttles back from Mariposa Grove to the Big Trees Lodge will be 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 3:30 PM, 5:00 PM, 6:30 PM. If someone misses the 6 PM YH the shuttle will not be able to bring them back to Wawona. If times to this schedule change we will be posting an updated travel voucher.
Come join Justin Dellinger, Senior Environmental Scientist, for a presentation on basic mountain lion ecology and the current mountain lion research that California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is undertaking. Mr. Dellinger currently serves as the statewide mountain lion and gray wolf researcher for CDFW.
Community Center doors will open at 6:00 PM.
The lecture will start at 6:30 PM.
June 12, 2018
LOCATION:
Wawona Community Center
Refreshments will be served! Cash donations also appreciated so we can keep these events going.
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WAWONA NEWS
Copyright © 2018 Wawona Community Events, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
PO Box 2164, Wawona, CA 95389
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Community Center doors will open at 6:00 PM.
The lecture will start at 6:30 PM.
June 12, 2018
LOCATION:
Wawona Community Center
Refreshments will be served! Cash donations also appreciated so we can keep these events going.
FRIEND ON FACEBOOK
WAWONA NEWS
Copyright © 2018 Wawona Community Events, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
PO Box 2164, Wawona, CA 95389
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.
