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Update On The Rim Fire Aug. 24

TUOLUMNE COUNTY – Firefighters on the Rim Fire have now gained 5% containment of the 125,620 acre blaze. There have been 23 structures lost in the fire that started on Aug. 17, and some 4,500 are still threatened.

The number of personnel assigned to the incident has reached 2,672, and cost to date for suppression efforts is now $7.8 million.

Fire crews are focusing major efforts on holding the fire east of the North Fork of the Tuolumne River, working to strengthen fire lines that are currently holding above the community of Pine Mountain Lake.

Additional efforts are focused on the eastern edge of the fire in Yosemite National Park to minimize impacts to our national treasure.

Google Earth Map 8-24-13Direct attack is being used in those areas of the fire where firefighters are able to gain safe access. In other areas where extremely steep, rugged and inaccessible terrain exist, fire crews are using a tactic called indirect attack, which creates control lines away from the fire’s active edge.

Air resources, including several helicopters and air tankers, are being utilized to slow the forward progress of the fire.

Forest Closure

The Stanislaus National Forest has issued an area closure for the entire Groveland Ranger District and for the Mi-Wok Ranger District east of Highway 108. Additional details are available from the Groveland Ranger District, 209-962-7825.

Road Closures

Highway 120 remains closed to all inbound and outbound Yosemite National Park traffic. Also closed are Ferretti Road and Highway 120 to Pine Mountain Drive and Ferretti Road, Smith Station at Highway 120, Cherry Lake at Highway 120, and Evergreen Road.

Evacuations

An evacuation advisory has been issued for Tuolumne City and the area east of Highway 108 to Mi-Wok Village. Advisories have also been issued for the community of Pine Mountain Lake and communities along Ferretti Road from Highway 120 to Pine Mountain Road.

Highway 120 at the Yosemite National Park boundary west to Smith Station Road has been evacuated. An evacuation order has been issued for the area north of Ferretti Road to Elderberry Road.

An evacuation center has been set up at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds in Sonora.

Cooperating agencies with the U.S. Forest include Cal Fire, the California Highway Patrol, the National Park Service and the Tuolumne County Office of Emergency Services.

One comment

  1. thanks for the update

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