SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – The Rough Fire, burning near Hume Lake, is now 30,901 acres with 3 percent containment. Though it is some 50 miles southeast of Eastern Madera County and the Central Sierra, the area continues to be impacted by heavy smoke, especially during the morning hours. On Tuesday afternoon the Rough Fire spotted across the South Fork of ...

SACRAMENTO – California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith announced that the department has been notified of a presumptive positive case of plague contracted by a recent visitor to California from Georgia. Testing is being conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to confirm if this is indeed plague. Prior ...

BASS LAKE – As the main source of water for the residents of Bass Lake stops flowing, residents are being urged to conserve or face dire consequences. Water storage within the Bass Lake Water Company service area has now dropped to critically low levels. As of Tuesday morning, Aug. 18, the available storage is just 33 percent of normal conditions ...

MADERA – The juvenile who allegedly started the Willow Fire that burned over 5,700 acres near North Fork, appeared in Madera Superior Court this morning, and was ordered detained in the Madera County Juvenile Detention Facility while awaiting his next court appearance, scheduled for Aug. 28. The boy is accused of starting the fire on Saturday, July 25, by playing ...

YOSEMITE – Public health officials and Yosemite National Park staff successfully dusted rodent burrows in the Tuolumne Meadows Campground yesterday with the insecticide deltamethrin (DeltaDust), say park officials, after a case of human plague was identified last month. The California Department of Public Health began investigating a case of human plague after a child from Los Angeles County became ill ...

YOSEMITE – The two juveniles killed in Yosemite when they were struck by a tree limb on Aug. 14, have been identified as Justin Lee, 14, of Irvine, Calif., and Dragon Kim, 14, of Tustin, Calif. The accident occurred at approximately 5 a.m. when a limb fell from an oak tree in Upper Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley, striking a tent ...

MADERA – The minor who started the John West fires last year near Oakhurst appeared in Madera Superior Court today in response to a petition filed, alleging that he had violated the order issued by Superior Court Judge James Oakley, spelling out the terms of his probation. His violations involved inappropriate activities, such as taking pictures and being in close ...

NORTH FORK –  UPDATE: Aug. 18: Lisa Clark reports: “Whoooohooo! The girls got the piggy banks and the goal jar and this community did great with over $156 cash plus a few English pounds and pences.” Thanks to all who made a contribution. Published originally on Aug. 8: After the burglaries in the Cascadel Woods area during the Willow Fire ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Mountain area residents continue to experience smoke from the Rough Fire, burning southeast of Madera County about 50 miles, near Hume Lake off Highway 180. The Rough Fire grew 4,048 acres on Sunday, and is now estimated at nearly 21,000 acres with 0 percent containment. The fire was lightning-caused. It was reported on July 31, and ...

OAKHURST – Sierra Tel has announced that the Keynote Speaker for the 2015 Patriot Day Remembrance Event will be Lieutenant Colonel David Hall of Coarsegold. LTC Hall is the current Executive Officer for the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade of the California Army National Guard. LTC Hall graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in June 1995. Upon ...