Ferguson Fire Photo credit: Blake-Scott - NPS
The fire is 38,522 acres with 25% containment.
Update: 7:14 A.M.
NEW MANDATORY EVACUATIONS: Lushmeadows area: the north side of Triangle Road from Vista Lago to east Westfall and all side roads to the north; the north side of East Westfall to Old Mill and all side roads to the north.
The Ferguson Fire was relatively calm throughout much of Tuesday night and into this morning as a heavy inversion layer kept fire activity to a minimum. The fire grew by 727 acres overnight to a total of 38,522 acres. Containment is at 25 percent.
Firefighters continued with strategic firing operations along the southern perimeter of the fire to build a wider containment buffer.
Crews patrolled the Jerseydale and Mariposa Pines communities as law enforcement continued to incrementally repopulate the area after mandatory evacuations.
No significant growth occurred along the fire’s western perimeter overnight.
Winds from the west and northwest today are expected to keep the fire from challenging this perimeter, allowing crews to continue strengthening its containment line.
While steep and dense terrain made direct assault on the fire’s northern perimeter impractical, crews continued construction of indirect containment lines from the Merced River north along Soapstone Ridge and toward Pilot Ridge.
Minimal growth occurred along the eastern perimeter of the fire.
Retardant drops Tuesday provided crews a temporary buffer for firing operations to add and strengthen containment lines.
Crews also patrolled structures for site protection and defensible space.
Yosemite National Park closure: Yosemite National Park officials announced closures to the Yosemite Valley and Wawona areas, as well as the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, effective noon on Wednesday, July 25.
With the ongoing closure of Highway140, visitors can exit the park using Highways 120 and 41.
For information on Yosemite National Park, go to: nps.gov/yose or call 209-372-0200.
Community Meetings: Representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE and Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office will present an overview of the current situation and containment efforts at 6 p.m. today at the Greeley Hill Community Center
July 25, 2018 - Awahanee, CA. - Yosemite National Park announces Yosemite Valley and Wawona will close today at noon, July 25, 2018, to all visitors due to the ongoing impacts of the Ferguson Fire. These closures include all hotels, campgrounds, and visitor services in Yosemite Valley and Wawona. Park visitors currently staying in park campgrounds and lodging facilities are asked to be out of these areas by Noon tomorrow.
Evacuation orders for Mariposa Pines Residents on Scott Road from Best Road to the end of Hites Cove Road including all side roads, have been lifted
With the ongoing closure of Highway 140, park visitors can exit the park via Highways 120 and 41. The temporary closure is expected to last until Sunday, July 29, 2018. The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is closed.
The Ferguson Fire now in its 13th day, started July 13 on the Sierra National Forest and is managed under unified command between the United States Forest Service, California Interagency Incident Management Team 4, CALFIRE and the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office. Much of the fire is burning in steep, rugged terrain with little to no access roads. Mandatory and advisory evacuations are in place in several areas but no homes have been damaged or destroyed.
The Ferguson Fire is burning in very rough terrain with high firefighter exposure due to very hot conditions and limited access requiring heavy rotor wing support. Prior to the Rough Fire, this river canyon held the record for the largest fire on the Sierra NF which burned in 1924.
The fire is 38,522 acres with 26% containment. 3,434 personnel are currently engaged on the fire which includes 220 engines, 47 water tenders, 16 helicopters, 88 crews, and 59 dozers. There has been 1 fatality and 6 injuries to date.
Updates -Today's evening update
Smoke Report – Ferguson Fire and Yosemite
Ferguson Fire Videos on Facebook
Maps - Public Information map, progression map, operations map and fire history map
Social Media - Sierra National Forest Facebook and Twitter
Stanislaus National Forest Facebook and Twitter
Yosemite National Park Facebook and Twitter
CALFIRE Facebook and Twitter
Road Closures:
Hwy 140 is closed from 1.9 miles east of Midpines to the Cedar Lodge area MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE
Repopulations:Mariposa Pines
Community Meetings: Greeley Hill
Mandatory Evacuations:
These area are currently under a mandatory evacuation include:
El Portal Trailer Court
Incline Rd from Clearing House to the last BLM campground
Jerseydale/ Mariposa Pines
Cedar Lodge/ Indian Flat Campground
Savage’s Trading Post
Sweetwater Ridge
El Portal Trailer Court
Rancheria Flat - Government Housing
Old El Portal
Yosemite View Lodge
Foresta
Yosemite West
Old Yosemite Road
Evacuation Advisory:
This is NOT an Evacuation Order. This is an advisement only of a potential Evacuation Order should conditions change.
• Lushmeadows Community
• Ponderosa Basin Community
• Triangle Rd from Jerseydale Rd to Hwy 49 South including all side roads.
• Darrah Rd from Triangle to Sherrod Rd
• East side of Hwy 49S from Darrah Rd to Harris Rd- This includes Boyer Rd, Woodland Area, Wass Rd, Tip Top Rd
Evacuation Center:
New Life Christian Fellowship, 5089 Cole Rd, Mariposa, CA 95338
Mariposa Sheriff’s Office Emergency Alert System: To sign up for the go to: https://local.nixle.com/register/
Animal Shelters: Small animals, SPCA, 5599 California 49, Mariposa, CA 95338 and large animals, Mariposa County Fairgrounds, 5007Fairgrounds Road, Mariposa, CA 95338
Donations: When you want to help
Temporary Flight Restrictions: Temporary flight restrictions
Incident Command Post (ICP): The incident command post for the Ferguson Fire is located at the Awahanee Regional Park. An additional camp has been established at Badger Pass.
Cooperators: California Highway Patrol, CalTrans, Pacific Gas and Electric, California Conservation Corps, Mariposa County Public Works and the American Red Cross
Fire lookouts have long been a part of the wildland firefighting in the United States. Three historic lookout towers are in close proximity to the Ferguson Fire - Henness Ridge, Signal Peak and Trumbull Peak Tower. All are on the National Historic Lookout Register (NHLR). (see historic photo of Signal Peak Lookout below) more....
