SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Just before 6 a.m. on Monday, July 28, the lookout on Shuteye Peak spotted a column of smoke rising from the area of Rock Creek Campground. Sierra Dispatch was notified and a call placed to Mark Smith, the day’s Duty Officer on the Bass Lake Ranger District. Smith made the trip from his home to the ...

NORTH FORK – It takes a village to support hundreds of firefighters battling thousands of acres of scorching flames, and that’s what has sprung up, literally overnight, at the Old Mill Site in North Fork. Nearly 1,700 firefighters, support staff, overhead and contractors are staged on the 135-acre compound managed by the North Fork Community Development Council, effectively doubling the ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Crews are doing a great job of holding the line on the French Fire. New numbers this morning estimate it at 13,835 acres with 60% containment. The evacuation order has been lifted as of 9 a.m. today for residents living in the Arnold Meadow and Wagner’s Mammoth Pool Resort area. The Forest Service Area Road and ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – The French Fire has now burned an estimated 13,803 acres and is 60% contained. An evacuation order will be lifted on Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 9 a.m. for residents living in the Arnold Meadow and Wagner’s Mammoth Pool Resort area. The Forest Service Area Road and Trail Closure remains in effect and the area remains closed ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Crews made excellent progress on the French Fire overnight. Cooler weather helped with suppression efforts and direct line construction along the northwest perimeter, the most active area of the fire. The French Fire is now listed at 13,717 acres with 40% containment. There are currently 1,883 personnel assigned to the incident.

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Cloud cover over the French Fire today helped with suppression activities, allowing crews and equipment to make good progress in line construction along the northwest perimeter, the area of most concern for the fire management team. Crews have now completed line around 40% of the perimeter. As fire on the interior continued to burn out in ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Crews made good progress overnight on the French Fire, aided by cloud cover and lower temperatures. The fire is now estimated at 13,267 acres with 30% containment. Ground crews and equipment continued line construction along the northwest perimeter of the fire, the area of greatest concern. Today crews will continue building and reinforcing containment lines on ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Unstable weather is expected in the area of the French Fire overnight, after lower temperatures and higher humidity throughout the day provided some welcome relief. Planners expect cloudy conditions with potential showers and thunderstorms tonight with light winds, which will be more erratic near any thunderstorms. So far an estimated 12,827 acres have been burned, and ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Cooler weather and lower temperatures are expected to help fire crews on the French Fire today. Some 12,827 acres have been charred by the fire which is now 20% contained. The burnout operation was completed on the southern end of the fire last night to secure containment lines down to the San Joaquin River. Direct fire ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Officials are asking for the public’s help in identifying the person or persons responsible for causing the French Fire. An investigation has concluded, and it has been determined that an abandoned campfire near the Rock Creek Campground was the cause of the French Fire on the Bass Lake Ranger District of the Sierra National Forest.