MARIPOSA COUNTY — The Detwiler Fire near Lake McClure has now grown to 11,000 acres, with no report of containment.
Firefighters have dealt with high temperature and gusting winds, along with difficult access in some areas.
Crews are now fighting a 200-acre spot fire across the east side of Highway 49, near the community of Bear Valley.
It has been challenging to get enough resources at scene for structure protection, and some air tankers, including the VLAT (Very Large Air Tanker), have been redeployed to new starts in the region.
At about 3 p.m., the community of Bear Valley was evacuated, and the closure of Highway 49 was moved farther south to Mt. Ophir Road.
Just after 4 p.m., the fire jumped Highway 49 and began running up Mt. Bullion Ridge. Mt. Bullion is home to Cal Fire inmate crews and a helibase. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for Mt. Bullion Road about an hour later.
One structure has been destroyed and another damaged.
Residents have been ordered to evacuate from these areas:
- Detwiler Road
- Hunters Valley Road
- Hunters Valley Access Road
- Bear Valley Road from Hunters Valley Access Road to Highway 49
- Bear Valley Road from Cotton Creek to Highway 49
- Bear Valley Road from Cotton Creek to Exchequer Rd (north side only)
- Highway 49 from Pendola Gardens to Fremont Fork (Monument at the top of the Bagby Grade)
- Cotton Creek Road
- Highway 49 from Mt. Ophir Road to Old Toll Road
Road closures include:
- Hunters Valley Road at Bear Valley Road
- Hunters Valley Access Road at Bear Valley Road
- Bear Valley Road at Hunters Valley Road
- Bear Valley Road at Hunters Valley Access Road
- Cotton Creek Road at Bear Valley Road
- Highway 49 at Pendola Gardens
- Highway 49 at Fremont Fort
- Bear Valley Road at Exchequer Road
- Mt. Gains at No. 9 Road
The Red Cross Shelter and Small Animal Shelter has been moved from the McCay Hall in Catheys Valley, to the Mariposa Elementary School at 5044 Jones Street in Mariposa.
Volunteers are providing lodging, meals, water, health services and comfort for evacuated residents while they wait for emergency information.
Central CA Animal Disaster Team has been deployed to set up a small animal shelter at this location. For animal evacuation, residents need to call the Mariposa Sheriff’s Office at 209-966-3614.
The fire was reported just before 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon and grew to thousands of acres in just a matter of hours.
The cause is under investigation.
For complete maps of the fire area, click here.
For details of today’s suppression efforts, click below.
Evacuations Expand As Detwiler Fire Grows, Resources Stretched Thin
