MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY–With the lightning that rolled through the area this morning, Sierra National Forest and CalFire fire crews are responding to and chasing lightning fires and smoke reports by ground and air today. We are monitoring these incidents but will not be posting articles for each individual fire unless an incident is growing and/or threatening life or property. Be prepared ...

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK-The Pika Fire currently burning behind North Dome in Yosemite National Park (YNP) is now 818 acres in size. As previously reported here, park officials use a confined and contained strategy that allows the fire to move naturally across the landscape, providing ecological benefits to plants and wildlife while meeting protection objectives to minimize risk to people and ...

MARIPOSA—California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Law Enforcement Officers arrested 31-year-old Gino Galileo Luciani on Wednesday, July 12th, 2023, in Mariposa County. Through an extensive investigation, Luciani was identified as the suspect responsible for igniting a vegetation fire on July 12th, 2023. The Ashworth Fire occurred in the Bootjack area in Mariposa County. The fire burned approximately ...

NORTH FORK–Monday, July 3rd, 2023, air and ground firefighters responded to a vegetation fire in the 59000 block of Road 225 in North Fork. Initial reports put the fire at 5 acres with a moderate rate of spread. The fire was burning in grass and oak woodland. Within a half-hour of the fire starting, it had burned 20 acres, and ...

NORTH FORK—The Madera County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) is reporting that a 65 year old Whittier man has died as a result of the ongoing Whiskey Fire. MCSO states that at approximately 1:30pm on July 3, the man was driving a tractor on his property in the 59000 block of Road 225 in North Fork, when it is believed a brake ...

MARIPOSA—CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Officers arrested 71-year-old Edward Fredrick Wackerman on Friday, June 16, 2023, in Mariposa County. Through an extensive investigation, Wackerman, a local Mariposa resident, has been identified as the suspect responsible for igniting the Oak fire in July 2022. The Oak fire occurred in the Midpines area in Mariposa County. The Oak fire burned 19,244 acres of ...

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK–Yosemite National Park fire crews have several prescribed burns planned over the next several weeks. Fire crews will begin burning in Mariposa Grove starting this week as conditions allow. Ignitions are planned to begin today, May 30th, in the early evening and extend into tomorrow. Mariposa Grove Unit 2 is 37 acres, and Mariposa Grove Unit 4 is ...

MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES–The 2023 Wildfire season is just around the corner, and the time to prepare for wildfires is now. The Valley Air District encourages residents to be prepared and plan for potential poor air quality due to wildfire smoke that might reach the Valley as we head into the hotter, drier time of the year. Predicting the severity of the ...

MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES–With fire season right around the corner, knowing when a fire starts in your area can mean the difference between life and death. Nearly every wildfire fatality occurs within the first hour, yet official notifications are often delayed, sparse, or non-existent.  Watch Duty (WD), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, alerts you of nearby wildfires and firefighting efforts in real time when ...

OAKHURST–In conjunction with California Wildfire Preparedness Week, The First Annual Wildfire Safety Saturday will be taking place this weekend in Oakhurst. Several local agencies and organizations will be present, and participants will have the opportunity to receive information on a variety of issues related to wildfires. WHEN: Saturday, May 6th, 2023 10:00 am to 4:00 pm WHERE: Enterprise Parking Lot ...