Posts
Official
warns Yosemite-area fire could double again tonight
19
July, 2017
The
wildfire that's already consumed more than 48,000 acres and destroyed
more than two dozen structures in the foothill town of Mariposa
outside Yosemite National Park could again double in size overnight,
firefighters fear.
Toni
Davis, spokeswoman for Cal Fire's Tulare Unit, noted that the
destroyed area has had a pattern of doubling at night, and Wednesday
night's temperatures are expected to match the previous two.
The
fire continues to rage in every direction and as of Wednesday night
was still just 7 percent contained, exactly where it began the day.
Fire officials said Wednesday the Detwiler Fire is among the most
unpredictable blazes they've ever seen.
"It's
creating its own pattern," said Steve Kaufmann, Cal Fire
Incident Team 4 spokesman. "The fire will move one way and then
it will move another way."
At
one point, the fire moved a mile an hour, destroying everything in
its path.
Firefighters
— 3,175 of them — are working hard to save homes, but the
swift-moving flames make it hard for hand crews, engines — 413 —
and the 14 airtankers to catch up.
Eight
structures had been destroyed and one damaged Wednesday morning. By 7
p.m., that number had jumped to 29 structures destroyed and five
damaged.
Surface air quality observations across #NorCal & western Nevada this afternoon & satellite showing #DetwilerFire smoke plume. #CAfire #CAwx
Law
enforcement agencies have conducted most of the evacuations for the
Mariposa area, which is filled with firefighters, not residents. The
order covers some 5,000 residents, who have been cooperative,
Kaufmann said. That figure swelled from 2,000 in the morning.
"We
know what a home means to somebody and we know what the value is,"
he said. "I've heard firefighters who've been doing this for
30-plus years say they've never seen a fire move like this."
One
direction it's moving is toward Yosemite. It’s peak tourist season
in one of the nation’s most-visited national parks.
A
spokeswoman for Yosemite National Park could not give an estimate of
how close the fire would have to get to park boundaries before an
evacuation would take place there. For now, visitors should not have
to change their plans, Nancy Phillipe said.
Jamie
Richard, ranger and public affairs officer, said all park trails are
open. Apart from some ash in the air, she said, people are continuing
to enjoy their stay.
“Dozens
of people are out taking walks, visiting restaurants,” she said.
More
than 20,000 people visit Yosemite each day.
The
park is making due without some of its rangers because they're
affected by the fire, Richard said. She said about 50 of its 800
rangers are impacted.
Richard
said the rangers who were in Mariposa, especially along the Highway
140 corridor where multiple road closures are in place, may have
evacuated the area.
'It's
hot... It's awful'
Power
outages are adding to residents’ woes near Mariposa.
Denny
Boyles, a PG&E spokesman, said about 8,900 customers are without
electricity in the area. The outages are a combination of fire damage
and areas where service was turned off for firefighter safety.
Boyles
said PG&E crews are out in the area assessing the damage and
planning repairs.
Fighting
the Detwiler Fire from the ground and air, crews say the blaze near
Yosemite National Park is one of the most unpredictable they've ever
seen. (Photo: Calley Cederlof)
Lois
Good, cashier at Oasis Gasoline on Highway 140 in Cathey’s Valley
said the station's employees had to shut down the shop after losing
electricity Tuesday. Good said gas is still available, though. About
50 fire trucks stopped by to fill up Tuesday afternoon, she said.
She
returned Wednesday morning and opened the shop with the help of a
generator.
“We’re
back in business,” she said.
About
two miles west of Oasis Gasoline, Carol Brown, 74, runs the 160-acre
A Lazy B Ranch, where she lives with her family and cares for 50
cattle, 20 horses, and 10 chickens. Brown said Highway 140 is
completely shut down, and authorities are not allowing people to
cross the road.
San Rafael and Marin FF's continue to assist battling the dangerous #DetwilerFire making progress and helping to save lives and property.
She
said she was lucky to have a landline so her family could reach her,
but was frustrated by the lack of cell phone service and power
outage.
“It’s
hot. With no air conditioning, it’s awful,” she said.
Brown's
son, who also lives on the ranch, headed to Merced to get water for
the family. He's also planning to buy a hundred pounds of ice so they
can try to preserve the meat they keep in three full-size freezers.
A
wildfire burning close to Yosemite National Park in Central
California is moving towards a Gold Rush-era town and threatening
1,500 homes. The fire has burned at least 39 square miles. (July 19)
AP
Brown
said the ranch has well water, but the pump requires electricity. She
was able to get it working on a generator last night. She said she
doesn’t plan on leaving, but said if it comes down to it, she would
open the gates for her animals, gather her family and dogs, and go.
“I
don’t want to even think about it,” she said.
Red
Cross offering shelter
About
250 people have sought shelter at five locations opened by the
American Red Cross of Central California
“It’s
a very large operation for us right now,” said Red Cross
spokeswoman Jessica Piffero. “I can’t remember the last time we
opened a shelter like this.”
Piffero
said volunteers have been on hand helping set up evacuees with
clothing and medications.
“We’re
doing everything we can to help families,” she said.
American
Red Cross volunteers from all over the state have been called to help
to support the operation, Piffero said.
The
following Red Cross shelters are available to Detwiler Fire evacuees:
- Oakhurst Evangelical Free Church – 50443 High School Road, Oakhurst, CA 93644
- Cesar E. Chavez Middle School – 161 Plainsburg Rd., Planada, CA 95365
- Sierra Vista Presbyterian Church – 39696 CA-41, Oakhurst, CA 93644
- Mountain Christian Center – 40299 CA-49, Oakhurst, CA 93644
- Groveland Community Hall – 18720 Highway 120, Groveland, CA 95321
- With reporting from John Bacon, USA TODAY.
Earlier
updates from this developing story:
Update
3:50 p.m. Wednesday
Denny
Boyles, a PG&E spokesman, said about 8,900 customers are without
electricity in the area of the Detwiler Fire. The outages are a
combination of fire damage and areas where service was turned off for
firefighter safety.
Boyles
said PG&E crews are out in the area assessing the damage and
planning repairs.
Update
3:30 p.m. Wednesday
Update
3 p.m. Wednesday
Fire
officials say the 45,000-plus acre fire is among the most
unpredictable blazes they've ever seen.
"It's
creating its own pattern," said Steve Kaufman, Cal Fire Incident
Team 4 spokesman. "The fire will move one way and then it will
move another way."
Law
enforcement agencies have conducted most of the evacuations for the
Mariposa area, which is filled with firefighters, not residents.
Residents have been cooperative, Kaufmann said.
"We
know what a home means to somebody and we know what the value is,"
he said. "I've heard firefighters who've been doing this for
30-plus years say they've never seen a fire move like this."
One
direction it's moving is toward Yosemite.
A
spokeswoman for Yosemite National Park could not give an estimate of
how close the fire would have to get to park boundaries before an
evacuation would take place there. For now, visitors should not have
to change their plans, Nancy Phillipe said.
More
than 20,000 people visit Yosemite each day.
Update
2 p.m. Wednesday
Power
outages are adding to the woes of residents near Mariposa, where
crews continue a battle to save the town and some 2,000 people have
been evacuated.
According
to PG&E’s website, 548 customers between Bagby and Bear Valley
are without electricity. However, that count may not be complete as
customers in Cathey’s Valley are also reporting outages.
Calls
to PG&E were not immediately returned Wednesday.
Lois
Good, cashier at Oasis Gasoline on Highway 140 in Cathey’s Valley
said the station's employees had to shut down the shop after losing
electricity Tuesday. Good said gas is still available, though. About
50 fire trucks stopped by to fill up Tuesday afternoon, she said.
She
returned Wednesday morning and opened the shop with the help of a
generator.
“We’re
back in business,” she said.
About
two miles west of Oasis Gasoline, Carol Brown, 74, runs the 160-acre
A Lazy B Ranch, where she lives with her family and cares for 50
cattle, 20 horses and ten chickens. Brown said Highway 140 is
completely shut down, and authorities are not allowing people to
cross the road.
She
said she was lucky to have a landline so her family could reach her,
but was frustrated about the lack of cell phone service and power
outage.
“It’s
hot. With no air conditioning, it’s awful,” she said.
Brown's
son, who also lives on the ranch, headed to Merced to get water for
the family. He's also planning to buy a hundred pounds of ice so they
can try to preserve the meat they keep in three full-size freezers.
Brown
said the ranch has well water, but the pump requires electricity. She
was able to get it working on a generator last night. She said she
doesn’t plan on leaving, but said if it comes down to it, she would
open the gates for her animals, gather her family and dogs, and go.
“I
don’t want to even think about it,” she said.
Update
1:25 p.m. Wednesday
Yosemite
National Park is making due without some of its rangers because
they're affected by the Detwiler Fire, a spokeswoman said.
Jamie
Richard, ranger and public affairs officer at the park, said about 50
of its 800 rangers are impacted.
Richard
said the rangers who were in Mariposa, especially along the Highway
140 corridor where multiple road closures are in place, may have
evacuated the area.
Update
12:45 p.m. Wednesday
About
250 people displaced by the Detwiler Fire outside Yosemite National
Park have sought shelter at five locations opened by the American Red
Cross of Central California.
“It’s
a very large operation for us right now,” said Red Cross
spokeswoman Jessica Piffero. “I can’t remember the last time we
opened a shelter like this.”
Piffero
said volunteers have been on hand helping set up evacuees with
clothing and medications.
“We’re
doing everything we can to help families,” she said.
American
Red Cross volunteers from all over the state have been called to help
to support the operation, Piffero said.
The
following Red Cross shelters are available to Detwiler Fire evacuees:
- Oakhurst Evangelical Free Church – 50443 High School Road, Oakhurst, CA 93644
- Cesar E. Chavez Middle School – 161 Plainsburg Rd., Planada, CA 95365
- Sierra Vista Presbyterian Church – 39696 CA-41, Oakhurst, CA 93644
- Mountain Christian Center – 40299 CA-49, Oakhurst, CA 93644
- Groveland Community Hall – 18720 Highway 120, Groveland, CA 95321
- Original story
A
70-square-mile blaze just west of Yosemite National Park has forced
2,000 people to evacuate and is rapidly expanding through thick
vegetation in hot, windy conditions.
Fire
officials say the Detwiler Fire doubled in size overnight and now
threatens some 1,500 homes. It is only 7 percent contained. Gov.
Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency.
The
blaze has not closed Yosemite, but is creating smoky conditions and,
if it grows, may affect access roads at the peak of the tourist
season in one of the nation’s most-visited national parks.
For
a full list of evacuated areas and road closures, click here.
For
now, Jamie Richard, ranger and public affairs officer, said all park
trails are open. Apart from some ash in the air, she said, people are
continuing to enjoy their stay.
“Dozens
of people are out taking walks, visiting restaurants,” she said.
Firefighters,
meanwhile, face a difficult task.
"Any
time you have a fire like this and you have a community like this,
it's going to be considered threatened," state Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) spokesman Isaac Sanchez said.
"When you add the fact that there are foothills, when you add in
the slopes and the grades and the temperatures we are dealing with,
the humidities we are dealing with, it's a full-on challenge."
This
story is rapidly developing. Check back for updates throughout the
day
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