The new size estimate was announced during the morning briefing. Forest Service Spokesperson Jerry Snyder says the possibility of high winds today is concerning, as wind speeds are projected to be anywhere from 14-26 mph throughout the day.
Crews have had success laying down lines in the areas outside of Tuolumne City. The areas above Tuolumne City are also of notable concern, stretching up to communities like Sugar Pine and Mi Wuk Village.
Snyder adds, "The forecasted high winds and high potential for long range spotting remains a significant concern for fire to advance beyond the retardant lines and allow for fire spread into the communities of Tuolumne City, Twain Harte, and Long Barn to the west of the fire and east into the Hetch Hetchy Watershed."
An additional base camp has been established near Tuolumne City and establishment of spike camps are being planned to mitigate travel time of suppression resources and to limit exposure for the safety of firefighting resources.
Advisory evacuation notices remain in effect today for Tuolumne City, Ponderosa Hills, and the south side of Highway 108 from Soulsbyville to Mi Wuk Village-Sugar Pine. 18 homes in the Pine Mountain Lake Subdivision remain under an evacuation order.
FROM www.inciweb.org
Incident Overview
Fire Update as of August 24, 2013
The Rim fire has transitioned to the Southern Area IMT1 Blue Team and remains in unified command with Cal Fire.
Fire crews continue to work toward increasing containment of the Rim Fire. A major effort focused is underway to hold the fire east of the North Fork of the Tuolumne River. Fire crews have strengthened fire lines that are 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.
Direct attack is being used in some areas of the fire and more will be utilized as firefighters gain safe access. In other areas of the Fire where extremely steep, rugged and inaccessible terrain exist, fire crews are using a tactic called indirect attack which creates control lines away from the fires active edge. Air resources, including several helicopters and air tankers, are being utilized to slow the forward progress of the fire.
The Rim fire has transitioned to the Southern Area IMT1 Blue Team and remains in unified command with Cal Fire.
Fire crews continue to work toward increasing containment of the Rim Fire. A major effort focused is underway to hold the fire east of the North Fork of the Tuolumne River. Fire crews have strengthened fire lines that are 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.
Direct attack is being used in some areas of the fire and more will be utilized as firefighters gain safe access. In other areas of the Fire where extremely steep, rugged and inaccessible terrain exist, fire crews are using a tactic called indirect attack which creates control lines away from the fires active edge. Air resources, including several helicopters and air tankers, are being utilized to slow the forward progress of the fire.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Under Investigation |
| Date of Origin | Saturday August 17th, 2013 approx. 03:15 PM |
| Location | Groveland Range District, Stanislaus NF |
| Incident Commander | Wilkins/lawshe |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 2,637 |
|---|---|
| Size | 133,980 acres |
| Percent Contained | 7% |
| Fuels Involved | Brush, Oaks, and Pine |
| Fire Behavior | Fire remained fairly active overnight in most all divisions. Increased activity developed on the eastern edge of the fire with very active burning inclusive of rapid rates of spread, torching and spotting. |
| Significant Events | A forest closure is in effect for locations near and in advance of the fire. Evacuation advisories are still in effect for Tuolumne City and nearby areas along the Highway 108 corridor. Structure defense, contingency planning, indirect line construction and indirect line preparation to the east of Highway 108 corridor. Access and difficult terrain remain concerns for crews and equipment. Significant progress made on along the western edge of the fire with mop-up progress. Good progress was made with constructing and securing lines along the southwestern, northwestern and northern portions of the fire. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Continued line construction where accessibility and safety allows. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | Extreme |
| Terrain Difficulty | Extreme |
| Remarks | The
Rim incident is expected to continue to exhibit very large fire growth
due to extremely dry fuels and inaccessible terrain. Rapid fire growth
and extreme fire behavior are hampering suppression efforts. Aerial resources are being effective with MAFFS and VLAT DC-10 air tankers prepping locations in advance of the fires spread toward Highway 108 corridor and along the Eastern perimeter of he fire. The forecasted high winds and high potential for long range spotting however remains a significant concern for fire to advance beyond the retardant lines and allow for fire spread into the communities of Tuolumne City, Twain Harte and Long Barn to the west of the fire and east into the Hetch Hetchy Watershed. Approximately 4,500 structures are threatened on the Rim Fire. Fire continues its eastward spread and is well into the northwest corner of Yosemite National Park. Due to inaccessible, steep terrain and active fire behavior a combination of direct, where possible and indirect attack will be used on this incident. The availability of fixed wing air craft is pertinent to the success of suppression operations. Orders for resources in support of contingency groups for Tuolumne City, Twain Harte and Long Barn will continue. An additional base camp has been established near Tuolumne City and establishment of spike camps are being planned to mitigate travel time of suppression resources and to limit exposure for the safety of firefighting resources. The Rim Fire continues unified command with CAL FIRE. |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 20 mph SW |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 58 degrees |
| Humidity | 58% |
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