OAKHURST — Jeff Aiello, creator of the Talk of the Hill Facebook group and page, along with his wife, Jill, saw a need and met it. A lifelong resident of the Oakhurst/Bass Lake area, he is also a television producer, cinematographer and broadcast executive with an intimate knowledge of the Sierra Nevada. including many contacts in media and government agencies. ...

Mountain Communities – The Windy Fire and KNP Complex in Tulare County continue to cause smoke impacts across the San Joaquin Valley. As a result, the District has issued an Air Quality Alert with the National Weather Service to remain in place while smoke impacts continue, or until the morning of Thursday, September 23 when a trough is expected to ...

Mountain Communities  – Large amounts of smoke being produced by the KNP Complex Fire and Windy Fire in Sequoia National Park has prompted air quality officials to issue an air quality advisory for the Valley counties of Fresno, Kings, Tulare and the Valley portion of Kern. In addition, the Caldor Fire and other Northern California fires are sending smoke into ...

Mountain Communities – Smoke impacts from wildfires in northern California and in Tuolumne and Mariposa Counties will continue as winds bring smoke into the San Joaquin Valley. The health caution will remain in effect for San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and Kern Counties until the fires are extinguished or until smoke is no longer affecting the Valley. ...

SONORA — Trisha Jacobs, whose name you may also see listed as Patricia Jacobs Chalk, lives and breathes fire. As in Mountain Fire & Emergency. But there are two sides to Trisha’s story. The before and after, as it were. The Before As one of the names most associated with the Mountain Fire and Emergency Facebook Group, she’s made it ...

MADERA COUNTY – The River Fire increased overnight to 9500 acres with 15% containment. There are currently 600 structures threatened with 4 destroyed along with 4 outbuildings. Damage assessment is ongoing. Firefighters continue to aggressively attack the fire while dangerous heat persists. Low humidity, tree torching, wind driven runs and frequent spot fires continue to challenge firefighters. Crews are working hard ...

Evacuation Order Update – July 12, 2021 at 4:01 pm  An Evacuation Order has been issued for Road 600 between Apache Ranch Road and Blazing Saddle Trail including the spur road JWP Ranch Road due to the River Fire. There is an immediate threat to life. This is an evacuation order to leave now. The area is being closed to ...

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY – The District is issuing a health caution to all San Joaquin Valley residents as the River Fire in Mariposa County is causing smoke impacts in the counties of San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and the Valley portion of Kern. The health caution will remain in place until the fire is extinguished. The District ...

MARIPOSA – On Sunday, July 11, the Red Cross of the Central Valley opened a Resource Center at New Life Christian Fellowship (5089 Cole Rd, Mariposa, CA 95338) for evacuees affected by the River Fire in Mariposa and Madera counties. Red Cross volunteers continue to be on site providing safe shelter, meals, water and health services to evacuees impacted by this ...

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is seeking assistance from landowners, Registered Professional Foresters (RPFs), and natural resource professionals with its annual cone crop survey and cone collection efforts, including locating developing cone crops on native California Conifers. These efforts support the CAL FIRE Seed Bank at the L.A. Moran Reforestation Center, whose mission ...