OAKHURST — Firefighters responded to a vegetation fire on Highway 41 near Road 620 this morning, reminding everyone that fire season is not over, and the Cal Fire burn ban remains in place.
Just after 11:30 this morning, crews were called out to a fire that was reported by the first unit at scene to be about one-half acre with a moderate rate of spread.
CHP was called out to provide any traffic control necessary, and firefighters from Cal Fire, Madera County Fire and Sierra National Forest were dispatched.
Crews had the fire knocked down within minutes of arriving at scene, with an estimated commitment of 2 to 3 hours for mop-up and control.
The cause of this morning’s fire is under investigation.
Just two days ago, there were two vegetation fires in the North Fork area, one along Road 221 and another on House Ranch Road – a reminder that the vegetation is still dry and people need to remain vigilant.
Firefighters have also been responding to a number of flue fires, which most often happen when people neglect to have their chimneys cleared of last year’s buildup.
Cal Fire has now started issuing burn permits at all fire stations, however residents are warned that the burn ban has not been lifted. We will need a significant rain event for that to even be considered. You can pick up your burn permit, free of charge, to be ready when conditions permit, but being in possession of a permit does not mean you can burn.
On Nov. 26, Cal Fire will transition into their winter staffing levels. That means the stations that have two engines during the summer months will be reduced to just one. Those stations are Coarsegold, Rancheria and Ahwahnee in Madera County.
With the winter months approaching, residents are encouraged to begin preparing during the (hopefully) wet months for the next fire season. Learn how your can create defensible space and be prepared for wildfire at http://www.readyforwildfire.org.
