MARIPOSA — The American Red Cross of the Central Valley has opened two additional shelters to further accommodate those evacuated by the Ferguson Fire. Red Cross is transitioning its sheltering operations from New Life Christian Fellowship in Bootjack, to Mariposa Elementary School and Mountain Christian Center in Oakhurst, effective Wednesday, July 25, to accommodate more evacuees. Red Cross is currently ...

MARIPOSA  — The American Red Cross of the Central Valley has opened an evacuation center to further accommodate those affected by the Ferguson Fire, located at Yosemite Valley Elementary School, 9009 Lost Arrow, in Yosemite Valley. Evacuations have been ordered for Old El Portal, Yosemite View Lodge, Rancheria and Foresta communities. The following Red Cross locations are open to assist ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – More than 2,700 people are involved in the firefight south of Highway 140 in Mariposa County, battling sweltering heat along with a fire that keeps pushing through incredibly steep and dangerous terrain. The Ferguson Fire, now in its seventh day, is estimated at 24,450 acres and 7 percent containment. The fire spotted north across the Merced River ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – The Ferguson Fire continues to push out in all directions, growing 4,000 acres overnight. The fire is now 17,319 acres and is still estimated at 5 percent containment. No new evacuations have been ordered in the past 24 hours. Fire managers describe the fire activity overnight as “fairly quiet,” with activity picking up in the area around ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – The Ferguson fire, burning in the Merced River Canyon west of Yosemite National Park, is now estimated at about 1,000 acres. Smoky conditions have not allowed for exact mapping at this time. The fire is 5 percent contained. Fire activity picked up this afternoon about 3 p.m. as temperatures rose to near the 100 degree mark and ...

MARIPOSA  – After another wet winter, warming temperatures and winds are quickly drying out the abundant annual grass crop. The increasing fire danger posed by the high volume of dead grass and hotter, drier conditions in the region is prompting Cal Fire to suspend all burn permits for outdoor residential burning within the State Responsibility Area of Madera, Mariposa and ...

NORTH FORK – Residents in the community of Cascadel Woods and Cascadel Heights are taking fire preparedness very seriously. Having been evacuated three times in the last three years when wildfire threatened, and with only one viable route leading down from mountain homes, more than a dozen residents armed themselves with weed whackers over the weekend and removed the fuel ...

SACRAMENTO – With the Fourth of July holiday just around the corner, Cal Fire announced one of the largest seizures of illegal fireworks in state history today. Following a months long investigation, CCal Fire law enforcement officers arrested seven individuals and seized over 49,000 pounds of fireworks over the past two weeks in connection to a large-scale illegal firework ring. ...

SAN FRANCISCO — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today issued the following statement in response to the release of information by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) regarding some of the October 2017 Northern California wildfires: The safety of our customers, their families and the communities we serve is our most important job. The loss ...

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST – Did you know that not only can you obtain your campfire permit at any Forest Service Office, but you can also get a permit online? Campfire Permits are required for open fires, such as campfire, barbecues and portable stoves on federally controlled lands and private lands that are the property of another person. On private lands, ...