NORTH FORK – Word is coming in from Operations on the Willow Fire that Road 274, between North Fork and Bass Lake, will reopen at noon today,  July 27. All other road closures and evacuations will remain in effect, including Central Camp Road, Douglas Ranger Station north of Trails End, and Autumn Ridge Way (Whiskey Falls Road/Forest Road 8S09). Whiskers ...

NORTH FORK – There has been no change to the estimate on acreage for the Willow Fire, with fire officials holding it at yesterday’s 1,521 acres. The updated map shows only a small push-out to the east in Division M. (see maps below) The 5 percent containment number has also not changed as of this hour, but we await reports ...

NORTH FORK – The Willow fire is now estimated at 1,521 acres, and is still at 5 percent containment. The fire is burning in the Willow Creek Canyon north of North Fork, and east of Bass Lake. Air Tankers and helicopters worked from above all day, as ground crews strengthened firelines and worked in steep, dense terrain. More resources continue ...

NORTH FORK – Mountain area residents woke to a red sunrise and the smell of smoke as the Willow Fire grew to 1,100 acres overnight. It is now 5 percent contained. The fire, which was reported at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, is burning in heavy fuels along the Willow Creek drainage north of North Fork and east of ...

NORTH FORK – The Old Mill Site in North Fork will once again play host to an Incident Command Post as the Willow Fire ravages 200 acres north of town. The fire was reported at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, at the end of Willow Canyon Drive, and quickly raced north and east, burning in heavy fuels. It is ...

OAKHURST — The American Red Cross of the Central Valley is opening an evacuation center at the Oakhurst Community Center, 39800 Road 425B, for residents affected by the Willow Fire. Volunteers will be on scene to provide comfort, snacks, and water for evacuated families. The Red Cross is also coordinating with the Central California Animal Disaster Team to care for ...

NORTH FORK – A fast moving fire burning on the Sierra National Forest between North Fork and Bass Lake started today at about 2 p.m. Residents are lining Road 274 taking photos and video of the huge tower of smoke rising about the Willow Creek drainage. Road 274 between Old Central Camp Road and Central Camp Road is closed, along ...

MOUNTAIN AREA – The local chapter affiliate of Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) team is up and running and participated in their first disasters beginning on June 18, during the Sky Fire in Oakhurst and the Corrine Fire in North Fork, aiding the evacuees in two shelter locations in Oakhurst. The Calvin Crest camp counselors came out with only ...

YOSEMITE – A small school house tucked away in the big outdoors offers nearly unlimited possibilities, with an emphasis on environmental science, art, project-based and multiage learning, and flexibility. Yosemite Wawona Charter School serves grades K-8 and is now open for enrollment to students in Madera and Mariposa Counties. School starts August 17. “There are many reasons families looking for ...

MOUNTAIN AREA – Residents and visitors may soon see stormy skies, as a hazardous weather outlook and flash flood warning has been issued for the higher elevations of the southern Sierra Nevada, with the prospect of isolated thunderstorms continuing late Monday night and possibly through Tuesday. The National Weather Service reports from Hanford that moisture from tropical storm Dolores in ...