Five days of camping in the Tioga Pass area gave Sally and myself plenty of time to wander, fishing some of the high lakes and creeks in the area. We had some bites. Some were from mosquitoes and some were from the fish! Where: Hoover Wilderness, Inyo National Forest Elevation Range: 9,552′ – 10,286′ Date: July 15 – 19, 2019 ...

Wild azaleas were showing off their white flowers and we caught a whiff of their scent before we saw them. This was the perfect time to see them blooming between Fish Camp and the Mariposa Grove plus got a nice workout as we wandered through Mariposa Grove to Wawona Point. Where: Sierra National Forest, Yosemite National Park, Mariposa Grove of ...

AHWAHNEE – As crews head out to the lines on the Oak Fire today, their main focus will be on the eastern flank where they are still working to complete the fireline. The Oak Fire was reported at 3:44 p.m. yesterday afternoon and quickly grew to an estimated 250-300 acres. As of 10 a.m. today, the fire is estimated at ...

AHWAHNEE – Residents have been evacuated and advisories issued ahead of the Oak Fire, burning north of Road 620 (Bissett Station) northeast of Ahwahnee. As of 5:47 p.m., the fire was estimated at 150 acres with a moderate rate of spread, and by 7 p.m., the estimate had risen to 250 acres with 0 percent containment. The fire continues to ...

YOSEMITE – Though the firefight has ended on the nearly 97,000-acre Ferguson Fire and only a few smokes remain throughout the interior, the work of repair and restoration continues. On a recent trip to Yosemite West, I was escorted by Anne Grandy, retired from the Bass Lake Ranger District and now serving as a PIO on the South Central Sierra ...

CLOVIS – Today marks the one-year anniversary of the Railroad Fire that burned last year on the Sierra National Forest (SNF) north of Oakhurst. The Railroad Fire, which began on Aug. 29, 2017, along Highway 41 between Sugar Pine and Fish Camp, threatened the communities in the area, closed down the highway for 11 days, and burned into the Historic ...

YOSEMITE – Firefighters continue their efforts to contain the northern perimeter of the Ferguson fire, now estimated at 95,946 acres with 83 percent containment. Firing operations were completed along Highway 41 yesterday to Elephant Rock, and a sprinkler system is assisting firefighters in ensuring the fire doesn’t move outside the containment lines. Spot fires continue to be an issue as ...

YOSEMITE –  The Ferguson Fire is holding at 95,544 acres this morning, and is 82 percent contained. However, the final challenge remains – keep the fire from spreading into Yosemite Valley and onto the South Rim. The work is focused on the northern perimeter in the triangle created by Highway 140, Highway 41 and Grouse Creek drainage. Firing operations are ...

YOSEMITE – It has been 16 days since the Yosemite Valley was closed to the public, residents and most employees, so the news that the Valley and the Mariposa Grove would be reopening next week was a very bright spot in the month-long battle to contain the Ferguson Fire. The Mariposa Grove is scheduled to reopen to visitors on Monday, ...

YOSEMITE – Firefighters on the Ferguson Fire continue to focus their efforts on stopping the spread north into Yosemite Valley. The fire is now estimated 95,544 acres with 80 percent containment. The active part of the fire is now entirely within Yosemite National Park and the critical fight remains on the finger of fire reaching north near the confluence of ...