MARIPOSA COUNTY — Firefighters in the Mariposa area were kept busy today responding to a pair of vegetation fires, with others moving up to cover stations left unmanned when their engines were called out.
Just after 3:30 p.m. crews were dispatched to reports of an escaped control burn on Ben Hur Road just south of Mariposa. First engine at scene reported the fire at about one acre, and additional resources were called up to assist.
By 4:22 p.m. the fire was an estimated 4 to 5 acres, but the Incident Commander reported that crews were making good progress on the fire, which was spreading at a slow to moderate rate. He also requested an additional water tender.
By 4:41 p.m., the fire was contained, and the I.C. estimated 4 to 5 hours for mop-up and control.
Meanwhile, the Emergency Command Center in Mariposa was moving engines to cover stations that were left unstaffed due to the call-out to the Ben Hur Fire.
Less than 10 minutes later, at 4:50 p.m., reports came in of another vegetation fire, this one on Highway 140 in Catheys Valley, about 5 miles southwest of Mariposa near Trower Road.
First engine at scene reported the Valley Fire at about 1/2 acre with one structure threatened.
Resources not critical to the mission were released from the Ben Hur incident to respond to Catheys Valley.
At 5:16 p.m., the Incident Commander on the Valley Fire reported they had good knockdown on the incident, and reduced the response for resources not already at scene and canceled the bulldozer.
By 5:24, the fire was contained and it was estimated they would need about an hour for mop-up and control.
The cause of the Valley Fire is unknown at this time.
