TUOLUMNE COUNTY – The Rim Fire has now grown to 160,980 acres, with 20% containment.
Total personnel assigned to the incident is at 3,752, including 20 engines from the Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit, along with 3 dozers, 4 hand crews and 26 support staff.
Just a short time ago an additional evacuation advisory was issued from Mi-Wok to Pinecrest along the Highway 108 corridor. This advisory has been issued by the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office.
Fire managers report that the Rim incident exhibited large fire growth today, along with extreme fire behavior, both of which are hampering suppression efforts. They are relying heavily on the use of aerial resources, using air tankers including MAFFs and DC-10 for structure defense, prep of locations in advance of the fire’s spread, control of spot fires and slowing the fire’s advancement through inaccessible terrain to allow time for firefighters on the ground to construct indirect line.
Type 1 helicopters are providing point protection and cooling areas where direct line construction can be achieved safely.
Fire Update
Fire crews had their hands full with very active fire behavior today. Near Duckwall Ridge, the fire spotted across the line with crews working to control the spot. The fire also crossed the 3N01 road in Reynolds Creek, prompting an expansion of the evacuation advisory in the Highway 108 corridor.
Fire crews also were working to contain a spot fire in the southeast portion of the fire as it crossed to the south of Highway 120 at Ackerson Flat. Firefighters were successful in completing dozer line below Pilot Ridge, effectively slowing the fire’s spread in this location.
Tonight crews will continue to work the three spot fires, as well as continue construction on contingency lines and provide structure protection throughout the fire area.
Forest Closure
The Stanislaus National Forest has issued an area closure for the entire Groveland Ranger District and for the Mi-Wok Ranger District east of Highway 108. Additional details are available from the Groveland Ranger District, 209-962-7825
Road Closures
Highway 120 remains closed to all inbound and outbound Yosemite National Park traffic to Crane Flat Campground. Highway 120 east/Tioga Road remains open. Also closed are Graham Ranch Road, Smith Station at Highway 120, Cherry Lake at Highway 120, and Evergreen Road. Highway 120 from Ferretti Road to Buck Meadows remains open only for local residents and business only.
Evacuations
The evacuation advisory from Tuolumne City and the area east of Highway 108 has been expanded to Pinecrest Lake. Highway 120 at the Yosemite National Park boundary west to Buck Meadows has been evacuated.
A Mandatory Evacuation has been issued for residences north of Old Yosemite Road (Forest Road 2S01), and an Evacuation Warning has been issued for all residences north of Bull Creek Road (Forest Road 2S02), Bondurant Mine Road, Texas Hill Road, and Wampum Hill.
An evacuation center is located at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds in Sonora.
