Containment grows on Ferguson Fire, almost 46,000 acres burned

AHWAHNEE, Calif. -- The Ferguson Fire near Yosemite National Park is growing but so is containment. It's burned more than 45,911 acres and is 29-percent contained.

There is a bright spot as of Friday morning for a group of residents affected by the fire-- mandatory evacuations were lifted Thursday night for folks living on Jerseydale Road.

MAPS: Wildfires burning across California

On Thursday, the fire grew nearly 1,000 acres as firefighters burned vegetation from containment lines back toward the fire. It was to expand buffers around the communities of Yosemite West and El Portal.

Meanwhile, favorable conditions and light winds helped firefighters to move the fire back toward the southern perimeter's containment lines.

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For anyone wanting more information about the fire, the next community meeting is scheduled for Friday at 6:00 p.m. at Tenaya Elementary School in Groveland.

More than 3,800 personnel are fighting the fire and seven people have been injured, with one fatality. Cal Fire Dozer Operator, Braden Varney, died trying to contain the fire.

FIRE INFO

Road Closures:

• Highway 41/Wawona Road is closed from the Yosemite Valley, through Wawona, to the park's south gate.
• Highway 140 is closed from 1.9 miles east of Midpines to the Cedar Lodge area.
• Big Oak Flat Road is closed from the Highway 120 junction at Crane Flat to the Yosemite Valley.

Mandatory Evacuations:

These areas are currently under a mandatory evacuation:

• El Portal Trailer Court
• Incline Rd from Clearing House to the last BLM campground
• Cedar Lodge/Indian Flat Campground
• Savage's Trading Post
• Rancheria Flat - Government Housing
• Old El Portal (including Yosemite View Lodge)
• Foresta
• Yosemite West
• Old Yosemite Road
• Ponderosa Basin
• Anderson Valley
• Lush Meadows
• Triangle Road from Darrah Road in the Lushmeadows area to Hwy 49 South and all side roads
• East Westfall Road to Chowchilla Mountain Road and all side roads
• Tip Top Road from Triangle Road to Gunther Road including Gunther Road

Evacuation Advisories:

This is NOT an Evacuation Order. This is an advisement only of a potential Evacuation Order should conditions change.

• Highway 49 South from Stumpfield Mountain Rd to the Mariposa Madera County Line (including Kimble Rd, Stumpfield Mountain Rd, Watt Rd)
• Ponderosa Basin
• 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 (including Boyer Rd, Woodland Area, Wass Rd, Tip Top Rd)

Next Community Meeting:

Friday, July 27 at 6 pm

Tenaya Elementary School

5007 Fairgrounds Road

Mariposa CA 95338

Evacuation Centers:

• New Life Christian Church (at capacity) - 5089 Cole Rd, Mariposa
• Mariposa Elementary School - 5044 Jones St, Mariposa CA 95338

Animal Shelters:

Small Animals:

SPCA

5599 California 49

Mariposa CA 95338

Large Animals:

Mariposa County Fairgrounds

5007 Fairgrounds Road

Mariposa CA 95338