SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST –  On Tuesday, July 7, work began on the Soquel Bridge, located on Sky Ranch Road. Crews have removed the bridge and will work for the next few weeks to put in a new, double-wide bridge. Detours are now in place for people entering and leaving the Sierra National Forest on Sky Ranch Road (see detour map ...

MARIPOSA – The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office has graciously accepted a donation of seven Automated External Defibrillators, otherwise known as AEDs, from Rick Roesch, owner of Mercy Ambulance. An automated external defibrillator is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses life-threatening ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient. This is when the heart’s chambers “fibrillate” in an unsynchronized way, ...

YOSEMITE – Thunderstorms came through Yosemite National Park starting on July 1, sparking six new 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 that process takes place. Most of these recent fires are ...

COARSEGOLD – After a fairly uneventful evening of patrolling the area during 4th of July festivities, firefighters were called out to a structure fire on Road 417 at around 2 a.m. this morning. Crews responded to a house on fire about one-quarter mile east of Highway 41 in the Indian Lakes area. There were about six people in the approximately ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Last week’s lightning storm ignited 33 fires on the Sierra National Forest Thursday and Friday afternoon. Thirty-two are located on the High Sierra Ranger district and one is located on the Bass Lake Ranger District. At this time, there are 120 firefighters actively supporting fire suppression on the Sierra, including many who are stationed on the ...

COARSEGOLD – Crews were called out at 1:17 p.m. this afternoon for reports of a vegetation fire on Creek Road, just south of Patrick Avenue in Yosemite Lakes Park. First firefighters on scene reported the fire at about one acre, burning in grass and oak woodland, with two structures immediately threatened. Patrick Avenue was closed off at Yosemite Springs Parkway, ...

BASS LAKE – With two teenagers having lost their lives in jet ski accidents on the lake this past week, and another person injured just this afternoon, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office will be out in force over the 4th of July weekend to ensure that everyone has a safe and sane holiday. Just after 4 p.m. today, a woman ...

AHWAHNEE – Firefighters responded to reports of a column of smoke rising in the area of Miami Mountain Lookout just before 4 p.m. on Thursday afternoon. The fire burned just west of Highway 49, north of Ahwahnee off Miami Mountain Road. First engine at scene reported the fire about 1/2 to 3/4 acre. Air tankers and helicopters were quickly over ...

BASS LAKE  – Just five days after a tragic accident involving a personal water craft at Bass Lake claimed the life of a 13-year-old, another teen is dead, this time after hitting a boat with his jet ski. At about 11 p.m. last night, Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the north shore of Bass Lake, near the Pines Resort, for ...

MADERA COUNTY – Former Chukchansi Tribal Chairman Tex McDonald appeared today in Madera Superior Court for sentencing. On May 1, McDonald agreed to plead guilty to the felony charge of false imprisonment, for his part in the armed takeover attempt of the Chukchansi Gold Casino in Coarsegold, in early October 2014. The judge sentenced him to 485 days, but he ...