State of Emergency Declared for Mariposa County, CA

Rim Fire Prompts Emergency Proclamation for Mariposa County

California’s acting governor has issued an Emergency Proclamation for Mariposa County due to the effects of the Rim Fire.

A state of emergency was declared because the RIM FIRE wildfire is “damaging public and district facilities, including roads and structures… and threatening residences in Mariposa County, necessitating the evacuation of residents, and the opening of emergency shelters… the circumstances of this wildfire, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of any single county, city and county, and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat … I find that conditions of extreme peril  to the safety of persons and property exist within Mariposa County due to these events,” according to the Proclamation.

On August 27, 2013, Mariposa County declared a local emergency and requested that the Governor proclaim a state of emergency.

Meantime, the monster fire continued to grow despite cooler temperatures and lighter winds.

Since erupting on August 17, Rim Fire has devoured nearly 202,000 acres, or more than 315 square miles, mostly in the Stanislaus National Forest west of the Yosemite National Park. The ferocious fire is now the 5th largest in California history.

At least 4,931 personnel are struggling to stop the massive fire from further encroaching into the park, where it has already burned at least 45,000 acres.

Rim Fire Wildfire – Fire Runs Upslope on South Flank, 8/29. Credit: USFS – Mike McMillan

Nightfire Along Road 20. Credit: USFS – Mike McMillan

Rim Fire Incident Information:

• Last Updated: August 30, 2013 @ 06:30 PDT
• Date/Time Started: August 17, 2013 3:25 pm
• Administrative Unit: Stanislaus National Forest / CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit
• Location: 3 miles east of Groveland along Hwy 120
• Acres Burned – Containment: 201,894 acres – 32% contained
• Structures Threatened: 5,506 (4,500 residences, 1,000 outbuildings, 6 commercial)

• Structures Destroyed: 111 (11 residences, 97 outbuildings, 3 commercial)

• Fire is expected to continue its eastward spread farther into the west side of Yosemite National Park, east of Aspen Valley. Several residents remain under mandatory evacuation in the Scotts Ridge area south of HWY 120.

Evacuations:

• A Mandatory Evacuation has been issued for residences north of Old Yosemite Road (Forest Road 2S01). Highway 120 at the Yosemite National Park boundary west to Buck Meadows has been evacuated. [Evacuation centers are at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds in Sonora and at the Greeley Hill Community Center.]

• An Evacuation Warning has been issued for all residences north of Bull Creek Road (Forest Road 2S02), Bondurant Mine Road, Texas Hill Road, and Wampum Hill.

• The evacuation advisory remains in effect for Ponderosa Hills and areas east, along the south side of Highway 108 up to Pinecrest.

• The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department has lifted the evacuation advisory for Tuolumne City, Soulsbyville and Willow Springs.

Road Closures :

• Highway 120 remains closed from Buck Meadows to 1 ½ miles east of White Wolf.

Yosemite National Park

• Yosemite National Park has closed Tamarack Flat and Yosemite Creek Campgrounds, both located along the Tioga Road. White Wolf Campground and White Wolf Lodge remain closed. I
• 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.

The Strawberry Music Festival, an annual bluegrass jamboree held at Camp Mather, has been cancelled because the site has been closed, according to reports.

FIRE Stats

• Total Fire Personnel: 4,931
• Total Fire Engines: 525
• Total Fire crews: 105
• Total Helicopters: 26
• Total Dozers: 85
• Total Water Tenders: 55

• Injuries: 4
• Cause: Under Investigation

Current Weather

• Wind Conditions 5 mph NE
• Temperature 67 degrees
• Humidity 40%

Links and Background Information

• RIM FIRE Becomes 5th Largest in Calif. History August 30, 2013