YOSEMITE – Thunderstorms came through the park on July 19 through 22. There are now 12 confirmed lightning-caused fires. Lightning caused fires can take days or weeks to detect because vegetation has to dry out enough to create smoke or visible flames after the storm passes over. Additional fires may be discovered, as temperatures rise and fuels dry out. Most ...

OAKHURST – A tractor-trailer rig that hit the embankment on Deadwood this morning caused traffic back-up for over four hours. Kevin Schroeder, 30, of Sacramento, was southbound out of Oakhurst at 6:35 a.m. in a Freightliner pulling a 53-foot trailer when, for unknown reasons, he struck the embankment on the right side of the road. The tractor-trailer came to rest ...

MADERA COUNTY – An Oakhurst man appeared in Madera Superior Court yesterday to be sentenced in a deadly vehicle accident that took the life of 26-year-old Davin Clymore in February 2013. Charles Hagood, 60, was sentenced to 3 years probation and 300 hours of community service after being found guilty on June 25 of vehicular manslaughter “without malice,” which is ...

YOSEMITE – Highway 140 in Yosemite National Park near the El Portal entrance reopened at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 23, to all traffic in both directions. Intermittent traffic delays may be possible for continued road clearing work in the coming days. Yosemite National Park road crews and law enforcement rangers worked extended shifts to get the road open as ...

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 ...

O’NEALS – A vegetation fire closed a portion of Highway 41 this morning from Road 200 to just south of the Rocky Cut (north of the 22-Mile House). The fire was reported just before 9:30 a.m. burning along the highway near Road 406, finally consuming about 1.5 acres before forward progress was stopped at 9:53 a.m. All incoming resources not ...

YOSEMITE – State Route 140 at El Portal is closed at the Yosemite National Park boundary in Mariposa County due to a mudslide. The El Portal entrance to the Park  is shut down today and meanwhile, alternate routes are necessary to gain entry to the Park. The road closed overnight on Tuesday, July 21, due to heavy debris flows following ...

EASTERN MADERA COUNTY – A powerful storm is moving through the area, bringing down power lines and trees, and prompting reports of fires. Cal Fire and CHP are currently responding to reports of a tree bringing down a power line on Road 426 near Robin Crest, a tree across the roadway on Highway 41 at Serpa Canyon north of Oakhurst, ...

MADERA COUNTY – The Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino could open by the end of 2015 as part of a $35 million deal, according to a statement from the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians. The Business Journal is reporting that the Chukchansi Economic Development Authority (CEDA) expects to finalize an agreement with the National Indian Gaming Commission soon and has ...

AUBERRY – The Kerkhoff Fire, burning just north of Auberry on Powerhouse Road, is now 80 percent contained at a re-estimated size of 60 acres. The closure of Powerhouse Road between the San Joaquin River bridge and Wish-I-Ah was lifted at 6 p.m. last night. The fire was reported just before 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 18.