OAKHURST — The community of Sierra Sky Ranch is now officially recognized by Firewise Madera County as the Sierra Sky Ranch Firewise Community and Fire Safe Council for 2016. Firewise Madera County (FMC) is an outreach program designed to protect lives and property from wildfire through education. The program provides residents with the skills, tools and knowledge necessary to take responsibility and ...

YOSEMITE – The Merced River pushes past spectators with enormous gusto, as a wide area is cordoned off under the trees at Happy Isle Bridge. Yosemite Search and Rescue (YOSAR) teams are preparing to demonstrate swift water rescue techniques in order to convey a crucial message to the visiting public: stay safe out there. Click on images to enlarge. A ...

OAKHURST – Poke your head under the sink, check your garage and peek into your storage shed. If you see empty cans of paint, old oil filters, solvents, household sewing needles or any of a host of hazardous materials and want to get rid of them, you’re in luck. You can shed much of your excess household toxic waste on ...

OAKHURST — The term “fire season” seems to have replaced the word “summer” in the local lexicon, and as the days grow warmer area residents may want to make note of a special event happening locally that should serve to alleviate some stress. Mountain Area Merchants Association (MAMA) invites the community to a day designed to spread the word about ...

OAKHURST — The Central California Animal Disaster Team (CCADT) is preparing for the wildland fire season, and recruiting volunteer responders to assist with emergency animal sheltering and evacuation of companion pets, livestock, and horses. Volunteers are required to attend a workshop scheduled for Thursday, Mar. 31 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Yosemite Gateway Association of Realtors (YGAR), located ...

MOUNTAIN AREA – So you’re driving along minding your own business, eyes on the road, hands at 10 and 2, not texting or eating a sandwich, and you get caught up in an accident and are whisked away to the hospital. Or you suffer some type of medical episode, and end up in the emergency room. That scenario is bad ...

OAKHURST – Under the guidance of former Fresno police officer Dave Maynez, now Director of Campus Safety for Yosemite Unified School District (YUSD), some area schools have recently rolled out a forward-thinking Safe School Plan with multiple components that could make a big difference in the event of a natural disaster, criminal activity, fire or other emergency. Among the recent ...

Submitted by William Miller COARSEGOLD – Yosemite Lakes Owners Association (YLOA) and Yosemite Lakes Community Church have scheduled a timely Town Hall Meeting on El Niño preparation. The meeting is open to anyone in the greater foothills community, and is set for Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the YLOA Clubhouse. A “monster” El Niño event has ...

SACRAMENTO – Almost two-thirds of all home fire deaths occur in homes without a smoke alarm or no working smoke alarm. Working smoke alarms can reduce a person’s chance of dying in a home fire by half, and they provide the precious time needed to escape the home in the event of a fire. 50 percent of fire deaths result ...

CENTRAL SIERRA – Whether you’re new to the mountain area, or have lived here for generations, the historic drought and extreme fire conditions warrant a close look at how you’ve prepared for the fire season. Karen Guillemin-Kanawyer, Cal Fire’s MMU Fire Prevention Specialist, says the potential for dangerous, destructive wildfires is very real. “It is up to everyone to be ...