RIM FIRE UPDATE, SEPT 7, 6:30 A.M. + MAHA MTG REMINDER

MAHA SEMI-ANNUAL COMMUNITY MEETING TODAY

SEPT 7th      10 a.m.

MI WUK LENDING LIBRARY & COMMUNITY CENTER

(just below the Post Office and Ranger Station on Sierra Park Drive)

PLEASE COME

IT'S YOUR COMMUNITY--PART & FULL TIME RESIDENTS

FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED

Fire Update
Active fire behavior occurred today within control lines on the northern portion of the fire. Aerial firing operations using helicopters are planned for this evening to help ignite unburned vegetation within containment lines. Short runs of fire may occur where flames reach the bottom of drainages and move into more heavily vegetated areas. Spotfires were contained today along the fire’s northern flank near Clavey Meadow. Firefighters also contained several small spotfires on the fire’s southeast flank along Tioga Road/State Route 120. Tonight’s operations along the Tioga Road will focus on conducting limited burning operations from hand-lines and natural barriers. Mop-up and hazard tree mitigation will also continue as fire crews work to strengthen control lines. The road is now open to the public from Groveland into Yosemite Valley (see details below). Motorists are asked to use caution and avoid stopping when driving through the fire area.

Park and Forest Closures
Yosemite National Park has closed Tamarack Flat and Yosemite Creek Campgrounds both located along Tioga Road. White Wolf Campground and White Wolf Lodge remain closed. 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. Additional details are available from the Stanislaus Forest Supervisor's Office 209-532-3671; Mi-Wok Ranger Station (209) 586-3234; Summit Ranger Station 209-965-3434; and Groveland Ranger Station 209-962-7825.

Road Closures
State Route 120 is now open from Groveland to Yosemite Valley.  State Route 120 (Tioga Road) remains closed from Crane Flat to 1 ½ miles east of White Wolf. Park visitors can access Tuolumne Meadows from SR-395 via the park entrance at Tioga Pass. Cherry Lake Road is closed at State Route 120. Evergreen Road and Old Yosemite Road are also closed. State Route 120 from Ferretti Road to Buck Meadows remains open for local residents and businesses only.  <<< This sentence is confusing to me since all sources say that Hwy 120 is open from Groveland to Yosemite!   UPDATE, 7:15 a.m. :  I just called the Rim Fire Information number, 805-727-4775, and was told it is an oversite and the Ferretti Road > Buck Meadows sentence should and will be eliminated.  Signed:  your trusty reporter, Blythe.  :)

Evacuations and Advisories
There are currently no mandatory or advisory evacuation orders effective in Mariposa or Tuolumne Counties however there are roads that remain closed. State Route 120 at the Yosemite National Park boundary west to Buck Meadows is still evacuated.
For more information or if you have questions please contact the Rim Fire at 805-727-4775 or 805-727-4746. The Tuolumne City Rim Fire Information phones at 209-928-1059 will not be staffed beginning Friday September 6th. If you have questions about Yosemite National Park call 209-372-0327 or 209-372-0329. All media are requested to report to the Incident Command Post to check in with the Public Information Officers.

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	Mcgowan

Current Situation

Total Personnel	3,457
Size	252,156 acres
Percent Contained	80%
Estimated Containment Date	Friday September 20th, 2013 approx. 12:00 AM
Fuels Involved	Brush, Oaks, and Pine, conifer stands
Fire Behavior	Fire behavior observed overnight was limited to creeping and smoldering and the continued consumption of large diameter fuels
Significant Events	Resources continued firing operations along planned containment lines in Division P in the southeastern portion of the fire area.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Resources will continue to patrol, mop-up, and monitor all contained areas of the fire and developed areas near and adjacent to the fire area. Resources will implement firing operations in Division K interior of the existing containment lines in order to further consume unburned fuels and strengthen containment of the northwestern portion of the fire perimeter. Burnout operations will continue along the Tioga Road and along the handline north of Tioga Road in Division P if conditions are favorable. Fire suppression damage repair will occur in the western and southern areas of the fire
Growth Potential	High
Terrain Difficulty	Extreme
Remarks	The Evergreen Lodge and associated employee housing, Mather, O-Shaughnessey, and Aspen Valley continue to be evacuated due to a lack of power and ongoing mitigations of hazards caused by the fire. Significant progress is being made to mitigate these evacuations. The extremely dry dry fuels and potential for long-range spotting remain significant concerns for the fire to advance or spot beyond control lines. Approximately 2,490 structures remain threatened in areas near the fire perimeter to the north, south, and southeast portions of the fire. State Route 120 was opened to Crane Flat and the Big Oak Road was opened from Crane Flat to Yosemite Valley. Additionally, State Route 120 (Tioga Pass Road) from Crane Flat to White Wolf remains closed. The Cherry Creek Road remains closed at the junction of Highway 120 and Evergreen Road, Harden Flat, and Old Yosemite Road continue to be closed. A forest closure order is in effect for locations within and proximate to the fire area.

Current Weather

Wind Conditions	12 mph SW
Temperature	80 degrees
Humidity	20%