2,000 homes threatened by 'erratic' wildfire near Yosemite

[Xithras]

CNN) -- Fueled by dry timber that hasn't burned in a century, a wildfire in central California grew to more than 16,000 acres and is threatening more than 2,000 homes near Yosemite National Park, a fire official said Sunday. The fire blazed in areas that haven't burned in 100 years near Yosemite National Park on Saturday.

"This thing is burning in every different direction," said Daniel Berlant of the California Department for Forestry and Fire Prevention. "That's what made it so difficult for us to really get our ... containment lines around it."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/27/fire.yosemite/index.html

--SNIP--

I just got back from a camping trip in the Emigrant Wilderness along the north edge of Yosemite. Visibility was down to a half mile and it was snowing superfine ash. I was talking to a couple of people fresh out of the park while refueling in Sonora, and they were telling me that the power is out throughout the park and that visibility dropped to a couple hundred feet on the way out. This fire went from 1,000 to 16,000 acres in a single night and is absolutely exploding through the forests. According to some of the firefighters I was hearing on the radio, there is a very real chance that this could burn into the park itself.

[DJ13]

1. Anyone know where to find a map of the fire?

My wife's younger sister works in the park, and she lives just outside the park.

[EFerrari]

4. Virtual Yosemite web cams -- some are down:

http://www.yosemite.org/vryos/index.htm

[DJ13]

7. Thanks

:hi:

[NV Whino]

6. Here are some fire links

http://calfire.blogspot.com/

http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/

http://www.fire.ca.gov/index_incidents.php

You might find some better links to the specific incident on some of the above links.

I think this is the one you're talking about.

TELEGRAPH FIRE:
Last Updated: July 27, 2008, 12:30 pm
Date/Time Started: June 25, 2008, 3:15 pm
Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit
County: Mariposa County
Location: Telegraph Road and Sherlock Road in the Midpines Area.
Acres Burned: 18,150 acres
Containment: 0% contained
Structures Threatened: 2,000 residences in the communities of Midpines, Briceburg, Mariposa, Greenley Hill, Coulterville, Bear Valley, and Mt. Bullion Camp
Structures Destroyed: 8 Residences and 7 Outbuildings
Evacuations:
Evacuation order is in place for the Midpines community. Evacuation warnings are in place for residences in the immediate area of the fire, which include the communities east of North Highway 49 at Mykleoaks Road south to the Highway 140 junction and communities west of Highway 140 from Mariposa north to Briceburg.

An evacuation center has been established at the Mariposa Elementry School.

Cooperating Agencies:
CAL FIRE, Mariposa County Fire, Mariposa Sheriffs Department, BLM, USFS, CCC, and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Resources Committed :
1,922 Personnel (1,336 CAL FIRE)
189 Fire Engines
56 Hand Crews
39 Dozers
22 Watertenders
12 Airtankers
12 Helicopters

Conditions:
The fire is burning in the Merced River Drainage, on both sides of the river. The fire is burning with a rapid rate of spread in multiple directions. Accessibility problems due to steep and rocky terrain.

Over the past 12 hours there has not been major movement of the fire, however the fire remains very active on the south and east flanks. Spotting has been observed on these flanks.

A Community Meeting is being planned for tomorrow night at the Mariposa High School.

CAL FIRE Incident Command Team #8 has taken command of the fire.

Fire Information: [phone] or [phone]

[DJ13]

10. Great info, thank you!

:thumbsup:

[NV Whino]

11. You're welcome

I have all these little puppies bookmarked.

[EFerrari]

2. Oh, no! I still remember going back into the park after the last major fire.

Smoke was still hanging all along El Portal. That must have been about 20 years ago, anyway.

:(

[robinlynne]

3. Oh God, I worry more about the animals.

[EFerrari]

5. They're usually smarter than we are.

This is really bad news. :(

[robinlynne]

8. I hope so. They don't have radios and firemen looking out for them.

[EFerrari]

9. Remember the tsunami? Very few birds or animals were caught in it

because they felt it coming first.

Maybe they have different "radios"? I hope so. I LOVE Yosemite and everyone in it. :(

[tularetom]

12. That fire's about 15 miles away from here

But it's burning away from us. There's a lot of smoke and no visibility. My friend has a vintage Toyota Land Cruiser stored in a garage on some property he owns in Midpines and we're going to see if we can get it out of there tomorrow. If they'll even let us in.

[EFerrari]

13. You guys be careful.

Damn, I'm hating this.