48,000 acres burn, 29 structures destroyed in growing Detwiler fire near Yosemite National Park
MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- CalFire confirms the Detwiler Fire has now spread to 48,000 acres, up from 45,000 early Thursday afternoon.
The fire is only 7 percent contained. Twenty-nine structures destroyed, thousands more threatened, and thousands of residents have been evacuated as this fire rages on.
"I'm alive, I'm not going to stay there and wait for it to get to me," one evacuated resident said.
They are clearly a resilient group who live in Mariposa County, but still not completely unafraid.
RELATED: Prepare NorCal: Disaster Preparedness Resources
The raging Detwiler Fire consumed acre after acre of dry brush, trees, and hillsides, threatening the small Sierra foothill towns and neighborhoods in its path.
With flames closing in on two sides, the residents of Coulterville were given an emergency evacuation order.
"Prayers for the firefighters. Everything up there can be replaced, we can't," evacuee Jim Hankinson said.
In Coulterville, most of the historic town was empty. It's a town that's burned several times before - a fact not lost on the locals, including those who decided to stay.
"My house has been here since 1849," Coulterville resident Robert Newton said.
Chuck Murphy had his car packed but had no plans to leave.
"Coulterville burned four times; make that three times in the 1800's. We're not going to make it number four," Murphy said.
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DETWILER FIRE INFORMATION
Acres burned: 45,724
Containment: 7 percent
Structures Threatened: 4,966
Structures Destroyed: 8 destroyed and 1 damaged
Evacuation orders are in place for:
- City of Mariposa, Mount Bullion Ridge Road from HWY 49N to CYA Road
- Old Toll Road between Corbett Creek Road and HWY 49N, including Corbert Creek Road.
- Mount Gains Road to No.9 Road including No.9 Road
- Mount Bullion Cut off Road and Agua Fria Road from HWY 49N to HWY 140
- HWY 49N to Baxby Bridge to Agua Fria Road; Area known as Mount Bullion
- HWY 49N from Mount Bullion Ridge Road to Old Toll Road
- Pendola Garden Road from HWY 49N to Old Toll Road (Exit via Old Toll Road only)
Evacuation Advisories are in effect for the following areas: All of CYA Road.
Red Cross Evacuation Shelter:
EV Free Church
50443 School House Road
Oakhurst, CA
Fire Information Line: (844) 668-3473
Road Closures
HWY-49 at HWY-132 (Coulterville Rd.) - Restricted access to locals with addresses in La Grange, Coulterville, or Greely Hill only
Bear Valley Rd. at Exchequer Rd.; Hornitos Rd. and Old Toll Rd.; HWY-49 and Mt Bullion Cutoff.; Mt. Gains Rd. at No.9 Rd.; Hwy 49 at Aqua Fria.; Hwy 140 at Aqua Fria.
Conditions:
The communities of Hunters Valley, Bear Valley, and Hornitos continue to be threatened as the fire encroaches on culturally and historically sensitive areas.
Traffic along HWY 41 & 49 will be impacted as a result of road closures on HWY 49. The fire continues to threaten power lines to the south of the incident, which supply power to Yosemite National Park.
Firefighters on the ground as well as aircraft are actively working to contain and suppress the fire. CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 4 assumed command of the incident at 1000 hrs. from the Madera, Mariposa, Merced Unit.
How to help
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