There is a very large fire in Mariposa County, CA that is affecting travel into Yosemite National Park. The Detwiler Fire is now 45,724 acres and seven-percent contained, as reported this morning, 7/19.
Portions of Hwy 140 and 49 are closed, and evacuation orders are in effect.. If you need to access Yosemite, you must use either Hwy 41 or Hwy 120.
Smoke conditions in the foothills are nasty this morning. A look at the Yosemite webcams reveals smoke is heavily impacting Yosemite Valley, as well.
That area has had WAY more than it's share of fires in the last few years. Santa Barbara had its bad run for a few years and now you are nastily impacted. No fun to have the smoke, ash and damage all around.
Sounds nasty out your way Preston. I've been keeping a close eye on this. My son is on a USFS Fuels Crew in Tahoe National Forest in Camptonville though his crew has not been called out for a fire yet. He did however go out as a "ride along" with the Tahoe Hot Shots on a fire down in San Bernardino. He ripped up his feet pretty bad and collapsed from heat exhaustion at one point (it was 107F). He is a very strong climber (ice, rock) and mountaineer so the conditions these fire fighters face sound like they are pretty severe especially with the heat in CA. I have great respect for all those fire fighters who put their lives on the line especially in those extreme mountainous conditions.
Eva, a tip of the hat & a salute to all those who fight the nasty back country fires here on the west coast. The summer temps are too hot to even be walking around in, never mind wearing the gear necessary to fight fires with.....
According to Cal Fire the Detwiler fire is 70, 906 Ac and is 10 % contained. Extreme fire behavior is being observed and poor humidity recovery at night has contributed to fire spread. There is more detail at the Cal Fire link in my original post.
As a former firefighter, I hope your son stays safe! He is with folks who know their stuff, and they will all look out for each other.
Paul, I have fought wildland fires in the same fuel and weather conditions, and I can say, without a doubt it was the scariest and hardest work I have ever done. I pray for those men and women who are out there on the line!
--P
Paul, I have fought wildland fires in the same fuel and weather conditions, and I can say, without a doubt it was the scariest and hardest work I have ever done. I pray for those men and women who are out there on the line!
Preston, I applaud you and anyone or everyone who has dealt with any & all emergencies such as fires. Unlike you and actually assigned to a very challenging duty to deal with fires I was involved with 3 by default of just being on scene at the time. I was scared to death doing it too. Having no training or proper tools made it more frightening. 2 of the fires were solved with no damage beyond brush, the third was horrendous damage and loss of life.
The Detwiler fire is 75,200 acres - 30% contained as of 0700 PDT this morning. The evac order for the town of Mariposa has been lifted, and Hwy 140 into Yosemite is now open.
There is still a great deal of smoke being produced by the fire and is currently drifting in an easterly direction affecting Yosemite Valley. The park is not being affected directly by the fire, and all facilities are open.
If you are planning a trip into the area, be sure to keep abreast of current conditions.
--P
Posted by Eva McDermott on July 23, 2017 at 12:09 AM
Our son was hiking on the east side of Yosemite this weekend and he said heavy smoke conditions were evident there,,,,,, Hazy sunsets etc. though he was able to hike at altitude with no problem on Mt Dana. He also hiked around the Saddlebag area near Lee Vinning without issues due to smoke.
Smoke conditions arising fom the fire are much improved this morning. There are still some evacuations and advisories in effect, and some roads remain closed. The fire is 81,350 acres - 75% contained.
If you plan to travel in the area, please be cautious. There is still a great deal of fire equipment and personnel in the area.
--P
Gunfire sparked a massive California wildfire that raged near Yosemite National Park last month and destroyed more than 60 homes, fire officials said Saturday.
The so-called Detwiler Fire broke out just before 4 p.m. local time (7 p.m. ET) on July 16, and burned more than 81,000 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It was 97 percent contained as of Saturday.
"The discharge of firearms, on public lands, is responsible for sparking the fire," the department, known as Cal Fire, said in a statement on Saturday.
The specific circumstances about the cause of the fire remain under investigation, Cal Fire said. The department said a $2,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for starting the fire.
Discussion
11 repliesPortions of Hwy 140 and 49 are closed, and evacuation orders are in effect.. If you need to access Yosemite, you must use either Hwy 41 or Hwy 120.
Smoke conditions in the foothills are nasty this morning. A look at the Yosemite webcams reveals smoke is heavily impacting Yosemite Valley, as well.
More from California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Be safe out there, everyone!
--P
As a former firefighter, I hope your son stays safe! He is with folks who know their stuff, and they will all look out for each other.
Paul, I have fought wildland fires in the same fuel and weather conditions, and I can say, without a doubt it was the scariest and hardest work I have ever done. I pray for those men and women who are out there on the line!
--P
Preston, I applaud you and anyone or everyone who has dealt with any & all emergencies such as fires. Unlike you and actually assigned to a very challenging duty to deal with fires I was involved with 3 by default of just being on scene at the time. I was scared to death doing it too. Having no training or proper tools made it more frightening. 2 of the fires were solved with no damage beyond brush, the third was horrendous damage and loss of life.
There is still a great deal of smoke being produced by the fire and is currently drifting in an easterly direction affecting Yosemite Valley. The park is not being affected directly by the fire, and all facilities are open.
If you are planning a trip into the area, be sure to keep abreast of current conditions.
--P
If you plan to travel in the area, please be cautious. There is still a great deal of fire equipment and personnel in the area.
--P
Gunfire sparked a massive California wildfire that raged near Yosemite National Park last month and destroyed more than 60 homes, fire officials said Saturday.
The so-called Detwiler Fire broke out just before 4 p.m. local time (7 p.m. ET) on July 16, and burned more than 81,000 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It was 97 percent contained as of Saturday.
"The discharge of firearms, on public lands, is responsible for sparking the fire," the department, known as Cal Fire, said in a statement on Saturday.
The specific circumstances about the cause of the fire remain under investigation, Cal Fire said. The department said a $2,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for starting the fire.