NORTH FORK – Firefighters continue mop-up and suppression repair on the Willow Fire, which burned 5,702 acres northeast of North Fork, and is now 90 percent contained. Crews are being demobilized to other fires across the state, and the number of personnel assigned to the incident is now 864. The public is reminded that a lot of firefighting equipment will ...

Russel Wayne Loudon, longtime resident of Oakhurst passed away from natural causes on July 16th, 2015 at age 67. Mr. Loudon had recently retired from the Raymond-Knowles School District where he worked as a bus driver, coach, teacher’s aide and maintenance man. Previously Mr. Loudon worked with main frame computers in Salt Lake City Utah, was a painting contractor and ...

OAKHURST – Services have been announced for beloved area resident Dale Miller, now set for Saturday, August 8 at Mountain Christian Center at 2 p.m. A reception will immediately follow at the Oakhurst Community Center Pavillion Room. Proud American, dedicated firefighter/fire battalion chief, loving husband, father, grandfather and friend, Dale Dewey Miller, passed away on July 20, 2015, at the ...

OAKHURST – “We’re back!” says Berl Howell of the Yosemite Jazz Band, who will be resuming their local gig this Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Oakhurst Pizza Factory. “We had a great eight days of playing at Paso Robles Mid-State Fair, performing over 320 songs. Eee-gads, I look like I got botox shots in my lips!” After ...

NORTH FORK – The 3-way stop at Roads 274 and 225 claimed another victim this afternoon as a Prius got the better of a Ford Expedition. A 55-year-old man from Fresno was westbound on Road 225 in a 2014 Prius approaching North Fork at about 1:45 p.m., when he failed to stop at the stop sign at Road 274. A ...

NORTH FORK – Demobilization continues on the Willow Fire, now estimated at 5,702 acres with 80 percent containment. Crews are being released to other fires across the state, and activity is winding down at the Incident Command Post. There are currently 1,313 personnel assigned to the incident. All remaining evacuations will be lifted as of 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, ...

CALIFORNIA – As crews are demobilized from the Willow Fire in Eastern Madera County, they are likely being reassigned to one of nearly two-dozen incidents burning across the state. There are 23 active fires across California, with over 10,000 firefighters battling them. Tinder dry conditions from the drought continue to allow wildfires to burn at an explosive rate. Just last ...

NORTH FORK – The Madera County Sheriff’s Office has announced that the remaining evacuation orders for ‪‎Willow Fire‬ will be lifted today, Tuesday, Aug. 4, at 10 a.m. This includes all roads off of, and including, Douglas Ranger Station Road as well as Willow Canyon Road. Both roads will remain restricted to residents only. Residents will have to show proper ...

NORTH FORK – Things are beginning to wind down on the Willow Fire, and crews and equipment are being released and made available for other fires across the region. The fire is now estimated at 5,702 acres, with 70 percent containment.  Over 1,700 personnel are currently assigned to the incident, but that number will drop dramatically over the next few ...

NORTH FORK – When Amy Kern and her family were evacuated from Cascadel Woods during the Willow Fire it was very stressful for everyone, not knowing if they would have a home to return to. But what they found when they came back this morning was something they could never have imagined. Their home – along with at least four ...