SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Smoke was visible again today from the Rough Fire, due to tactical firing operations. Unburned pockets of fuel continue to burn with higher temperatures over the fire area. Firefighters will strengthen and hold containment lines during these operations to prevent escape. Rough Fire has burned within 250 yards of the General Grant – the 2nd largest ...

MADERA COUNTY – The Madera County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday, Sept. 15, to approve a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County and the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians. Agreement on, and adoption of an MOU is one of the steps required to get the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino reopened. On Aug. 26, Chief Operating ...

YOSEMITE – The body of missing hiker Timothy Nolan was spotted by park visitors on the afternoon of Sept.16, in the backcountry of Yosemite National Park. Unfortunately, he was found deceased. Yosemite National Park Rangers had been searching extensively for him since he was reported overdue from his hike. The large scale search effort included utilizing ground teams, dog teams, ...

Submitted by Keith Sauer – We’re back from three days in Yosemite with the Oakmont Hiking group. Perfect weather and great scenery. We saw some bears on the trail but too far to photograph. One group saw a bobcat. After a long five-hour drive, I led the hike to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point with the help of a pain ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – The Rough Fire is now estimated at 141,491 acres, up only slightly from yesterday’s estimate of 141,201 acres. Containment remains at 68 percent. There have been 4 structures lost in the fire, and 7 firefighters have been injured. Details of those injuries are not available. Firefighter fatigue is continually being monitored due to the lengthy effects of ...

NORTH FORK – The mission of the North Fork Fire Department Auxiliary is to raise money to equip Station 11 firefighters with items and gear not provided by the County or Cal Fire. So when a $20,000 check arrived in the mail recently, it was cause for celebration. The very generous gift was from the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation. Janice ...

Written by Marcia Penner Freedman – We’ve chosen to live in a forest, tens of thousands of us in eastern Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa Counties. Not just any forest, but a Sierra forest. And that means we’ve chosen to live with the certainty of fire. To complicate things, our communities sit at the edge of the million-acre Sierra National Forest, ...

OAKHURST – Did you know that, according to CHP, critical misuse of child safety seats happens about 73 percent of the time? In honor of National Child Passenger Safety Week, the Oakhurst Area CHP is holding a Car Seat Check Up Event following the conclusion of the Heritage Days Parade on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. ...

OAKHURST – Are you an author? Do you want to be an author? Do you love to read? The Oakhurst Library will be hosting an Authors’ Faire on Saturday, Sept. 26, in the Library’s Community Room from 10:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. The library has invited area writers, publishers, editors, illustrators and various writing groups to come to the library. ...

HUME LAKE RANGER DISTRICT & KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK – The National Park Service and the USDA Forest Service are excited to share with the public the plan and timetable for the reopening of the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park, the road between Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (the Generals Highway), and parts of the Giant ...