VALLEJO — U.S. Forest Service investigators have determined the cause of the Ferguson Fire to be vehicle-related. Specifically, investigators believe superheated pieces of a catalytic converter came into contact with dry, roadside vegetation, igniting the fire. The Ferguson Fire started on the evening of Friday, July 13, along eastbound Highway 140 near Savage Trading Post at 8:30 p.m. (South Fork ...

PRATHER – Residents in Eastern Madera County may see smoke from prescribed burning over the next few months as the High Sierra Ranger District implements their fall/winter prescribed burn program, set to be completed before the end of the year as cooler weather and moisture arrives across the area. Fire activity throughout the state and across the country has moderated, ...

NORTH FORK – A vehicle fire on Douglas Ranger Station Road spread into the vegetation, forcing the closure of the road this afternoon. At 5 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to reports of a truck on fire on Douglas Ranger Station near Trails End Road. Cal Fire, Sierra National Forest and Madera County Fire resources were dispatched, along with air tankers ...

NORTH FORK – The Redinger Fire, burning along Mammoth Pool Road (Forest Road 4S81) east of North Fork, is now 100 percent contained at 170 acres. Today, the Redinger Fire showed some activity, but no further gains in acreage. Fire crews finished securing the perimeter with handline and dozer line, using Forest Road 4S81 and natural features as as part ...

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 ...

NORTH FORK – Crews have made excellent progress on containing the Redinger Fire and the Castle Fire, both burning along Mammoth Pool Road (Forest Road 4S81) east of North Fork. The Redinger Fire is holding at 170 acres and is now 50 percent contained. The Castle Fire had fireline and hose lay around it within hours of crews arriving at ...

NORTH FORK – Firefighters continue their work to contain at least two fires burning along Mammoth Pool Road (Forest Road 4S81) east of North Fork. Investigators are working to determine what sparked several fires along the north side of the road just north of the Redinger Lake Overlook, about seven miles from North Fork. The initial report at about 11:30 ...

NORTH FORK – Crews are on scene of two fires burning along Mammoth Pool Road (Forest Road 4S81) near the Redinger Lake Overlook east of North Fork on Castle Peak. At about 11:30 p.m., the Sierra National Forest responded to reports of two separate roadside fires, one about 1/4 mile north of the overlook, and a second near Campers Corner ...

YOSEMITE – It has been 37 days since the Ferguson Fire began burning in the Merced River Canyon near Savage Trading Post, and today officials have announced that the fire is 100 percent contained at 96,904 acres. The fire has scorched land on the Sierra and Stanislaus National Forests, inside Yosemite National Park, on BLM holdings, and in Cal Fire’s ...

YOSEMITE – As crews continue their work to get final containment on the northern edge of the Ferguson Fire, the estimated acreage remains unchanged at 96,824 acres, and officials are reporting the containment at 87 percent for the fourth day in a row. Highway 41 (Wawona Road) between Chinquapin Junction (Yosemite West) and the Tunnel View is expected to open ...