MADERA COUNTY – Following are details from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office of reports taken locally from Monday, Aug. 14, to Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017. Ahwahnee residential burglary On Monday, Aug. 14, at 6:38 p.m., a deputy was dispatched to the 59000 block of Road 601 regarding a residential burglary. Due to the lack of investigative leads, witnesses, and suspect(s) ...

YOSEMITE — Firing operations on the South Fork Fire have proceeded according to plan as crews continue to focus on protecting the community of Wawona. The fire is now estimated at 3,820 acres with 17 percent containment. There are 765 personnel assigned to the incident including 22 hand crews, 7 helicopters and 20 engines, with air tankers as available. There ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY — Firefighters were called out in the early morning hours to reports of a vegetation fire in the Bootjack area. At 1:20 a.m., crews responded to a fire on Oak Grove Road near Blade Creek Road. It was reported to be burning in vegetation and no structures were immediately threatened. Firefighters had the forward progress stopped by 2:04 ...

MADERA COUNTY – The Madera County Sheriff’s Office is continuing their investigation into the officer-involved shooting that occurred on Sunday, Aug. 20, in the area of Avenue 12 and Highway 41. The shooting occurred just after 3 p.m. during a pursuit that followed a carjacking at gunpoint near the Chevron on Avenue 15. Just before 2 p.m. on Sunday, CHP ...

YOSEMITE — Wawona residents evacuated from their homes on Saturday can only watch and wait for a change in the erratic weather that has increased activity on the west flank of the South Fork Fire. The fire is now estimated at 3,473 acres with 10 percent containment. As the threat to the community of Wawona has grown with the daily ...

MADERA COUNTY — One man is dead and two others are in custody following a reported carjacking that ended with a chase through the orchards in the Madera Ranchos area this afternoon. Just before 2 p.m., CHP officers and Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports that three Hispanic males had held a motorist at gunpoint near Avenue 15 at Highway 41, ...

YOSEMITE — After increased fire activity on the west flank of the South Fork Fire forced residents of Wawona from their homes yesterday morning, they gathered at the Tenaya Lodge last night to hear from fire officials about the current situation. Incident Commander Deron Mills assured everyone that the decision to evacuate was not taken lightly. “We struggled with this ...

YOSEMITE — A Mandatory Evacuation Order has been issued for the community of Wawona inside Yosemite National Park due to increased activity on the west flank of the South Fork Fire. The evacuation order is for all areas east of Highway 41 along Chilnualna Falls Road and Forest Drive, including the Big Trees Lodge. Residents and visitors must vacate by ...

NORTH FORK — A single-vehicle crash at the Fine Gold Creek bridge blocked the road for about an hour this morning, and tore a big chunk out of the 70-year-old bridge. A 60-year-old man from Fresno was eastbound on Road 200 in a 2009 Lincoln Town Car registered to a limousine service in the valley, when he entered the 25 ...

YOSEMITE —  Crews made good progress on the South Fork Fire yesterday, constructing hand line on the west flank of the fire north of Wawona Dome. The fire is now estimated at 2,903 acres with 10 percent containment. There are 528 personnel assigned to the incident including 13 hand crews, 7 helicopters, 11 engines and 3 air tankers. UPDATE 11 ...