Successful Coordinated Attack, Favorable Weather, Kept Boneyard Fire In Check
Tuolumne County, CA — Tuolumne County Supervisor Steve Griefer represents the south county area impacted by the 227-acre Boneyard Fire and shared his up-close observations.
Griefer learned about the fire along Priest Coulterville Road on Saturday afternoon shortly after arriving back at his home on Feretti Road and seeing a plume of smoke in the distance. He was in close contact with CAL Fire and county officials throughout the afternoon and toured the fire area and command post later in the day.
When Clarke Broadcasting reached out to Griefer this morning, he praised all of the fire agencies involved, as well as the Office of Emergency Services, the Sheriff’s Office, CHP, Animal Control, and others. He said, “Everyone was in full communication, and it was very well done.”
Continuing, “The air operations looked flawless. They were dropping, to my understanding, about 26,000 gallons of retardant throughout Saturday to knock down the fire.”
With the location being in difficult terrain, for a period of time, there were concerns that the fire could grow into a much worse situation.
Griefer says, “Originally, when the fire started, I was really concerned because it was a few miles from Big Oak Flat, and Groveland as a whole. But, with the weather conditions being what they were (mild), and had it been a little bit hotter and drier, I think this could have turned into a major fire. Luckily, we had weather on our side and the resources that were deployed knocked it down by hitting it very quickly, and hard.”
As Supervisor for that region, he was on the phone with county officials, such as OES Assistant Director Dore Bietz, and everyone made sure there were additional evacuation plans ready to go, if needed.
He shares, “It was touch and go, and it could have gone either way. I’m just glad it didn’t go into a major event.”
Griefer says it drives home the need for community members to always have a go bag ready, to sign up for the county’s Everbridge system for evacuation notices, and be prepared for anything during these summer months.
Click here to view an earlier story about the latest Boneyard Fire size and containment figures.
