FINALLY--THE RIM FIRE IS FULLY CONTAINED

October 25, 2013    02:07 pm     Tracey Petersen, MML News Reporter 

 

Tuolumne County, CA -- The Rim Fire is now fully contained over two months after it was ignited, but Forest Service officials say it will take a good rain to completely put it out.

The total of 257,314 acres was scorched. There are still 42 firefighters on the scene. At the height of the fire that number was more than five thousand.

"They will continue to mop up," says Forest Service Spokesperson Jerry Snyder. "The interior of the fire is still smoldering. We expect that there are going to be pockets of burning material. Until we get some good rain we don't see anything in the near future that is going to provide enough moisture to put out the fire."

The total cost to fight the fire has topped $127 million dollars. There were eleven homes, three commercial properties and 98 outbuilding destroyed in the flames. A total of 10 firefighters were injured in the blaze. The Rim Fire was started on August 17th by a hunter's illegal camp fire. 


From INCIWEB.ORG :

Incident Statistics

Acres Burned: 257 314 (402 square miles) Structures Threatened: 0

Containment: 100% Residences Destroyed: 11

Fire Start Date: August 17 2013 Commercial Property Destroyed: 3

Fire Cause: Under Investigation Outbuildings Destroyed: 98

Cost to date: $127.350 million Injuries: 10

Total Personnel 42

Fire Update

The Rim fire is now being managed by the Groveland and Mi-Wok Ranger Districts on the Stanislaus National Forest. Minimal fire spread is expected over the next week. There is one 800-1000 acre pocket of vegetation near Kibbie Lake that remains with a potential to burn. Resources will continue to patrol and mop-up while continuing to implement the suppression repair plan. Commercial recreation along the Tuolumne and Clavey Rivers continues to be impacted. The developed areas of Hetch-Hetchy remain evacuated.

Park and Forest Closures:

Evergreen Road is open only to Evergreen Lodge. Hetch Hetchy and surrounding facilities in Yosemite Park remain closed to public access due to hazardous trees. Aspen Valley is open to residents only. Tuolumne Grove and Hodgdon Meadow Campground remain closed. The Stanislaus National Forest issued an updated Rim Fire Area Closure (dated September 12 2013) for the Groveland and Mi-Wok Ranger Districts. Cherry Lake Road is closed at Hwy 120. Old Yosemite and Harden Flat Roads are closed. Some secondary roads within the fire area remain closed to non-residents. Merced Grove and Tamarack Flat are open.

Here's a map view we haven't seen before yesterday:

100% containment.