Alicia’s story My name is Alicia Arce, age 27, and my husband is Omar Arce, also 27. He is a Senior Firefighter for Sierra National Forest Engine 51, based in North Fork. I have been married to Omar for three years but together for six. Our daughter Hope Liana is 3 ½ and is an absolute joy. We gave her this name because ...

Sharleena’s story: “the strength behind the boots.” My husband is Nick Robison, 34, and he is a Squad Leader on the Sierra Hotshots based out of Batterson in Oakhurst. I am Sharleena Robison, 31, and have been married to Nick for five years, but have been together for six years. We have a son named Kaden, age 4 ½ and a ...

When a firefighter gets an assignment, he or she often leaves behind a family who keeps the home fires burning in a good way. Such is the case with Erin and Michael Capuchino of Oakhurst. Both in their thirties, Erin and Michael have been married since 2002; for the last three years, Michael has been a wildland firefighter. The Capuchinos have three ...

NORTH FORK — After a combined 60-plus years of service to the community as Paid Call Firefighters (PCFs), Jere and Diann Miller are retiring. At a special dinner on Monday, Nov. 6, the North Fork Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary bid a fond but sad farewell to the couple, who have responded to fires, accidents and medical aids from Station 11 ...

OAKHURST – Teams made up of first responders from the Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, the U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire, Madera County Firefighters and local EMS will be participating in a “pitched battle” on the Yosemite High School diamonds during the second annual Guns & Hoses Slow Pitch Softball Tournament on Saturday, Apr. 11.

BASS LAKE – The Southern Yosemite Region was hit close to home and heart with the wildfires of 2013/2014. Surrounded by national parks, forests and wildlands, we depend on the over 300 wildland firefighters who live and work in our mountain communities. The Wildland Firefighter Foundation was created “To honor, recognize, and support wildland firefighters, past, present and future, and ...

NORTH FORK – Just before 9 p.m. this evening, firefighters responded to a report of a vegetation fire on Road 200 near Road 224 (Bonnie B). At first, it was hard to locate, with nothing showing from the roadway and no smell of smoke. But a huge plume soon showed itself, and crews wasted no time getting to work.

OAKHURST – When the Junction Fire roared through Oakhurst on Aug. 18, there were a lot of things going on behind the scenes that residents rushing to evacuate were not aware of. At a Town Hall meeting in Bass Lake last Thursday, Cal Fire Division Chief Don Stein, along with Battalion Chiefs Troy Cheek and Chris Christopherson shared how the ...

OAKHURST – Just after 10:30 p.m. last night firefighters responded to a report of a structure fire on Cinder Lane just behind the Sierra Senior Center. Though Madera County Fire Engine #12 was on scene within minutes of the dispatch, the home was nearly fully involved by the time they arrived.

MADERA COUNTY – Firefighters were kept busy this afternoon, battling two blazes on opposite sides of the county. The River Fire started in Ahwahnee just after 2 p.m. in a garage behind a residence on Road 621. It spread into surrounding vegetation, consuming over two-and-a-half acres before firefighters stopped the forward progress.