Rim Fire Morning Update
The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office reports that advisory evacuation notices remain the same this morning.
Spokesperson Scott Johnson says advisory notices are in effect for Tuolumne City, Ponderosa Hills, North Tuolumne Road, along Highway 108 up to Sugar Pine and Mi Wuk, and down Highway 108 to Soulsbyville and Willow Springs. In South Tuolumne County, there remains evacuation order for units 11, 11A, and 12 in the Pine Mountain Lake Subdivision. The remaining portion of the subdivision is under an advisory notice.
Roads leading into Tuolumne City remain blocked off this morning, and only residents in the community and emergency officials are allowed to pass through. Johnson says residents need to have identification proving they live in Tuolumne City to pass through. The road closures are due to the heavy traffic from emergency personnel.
Rim Fire officials had their morning briefing, and the size estimate remains at 125,620. It is 5% contained, and the cost to battle the blaze is estimated at $7.8 million.
The official report from the Incident Command post reads as follows:
Fire crews continue to work toward increasing containment of the Rim Fire. A major effort focused is underway to hold the fire east of the North Fork of the Tuolumne River. Fire crews have strengthened fire lines that are holding above the community of Pine Mountain Lake. Additional efforts are focused on the eastern edge of the fire in Yosemite National Park to minimize impacts to our national treasure.
Direct attack is being used in some areas of the fire and more will be utilized as firefighters gain safe access. In other areas of the Fire where extremely steep, rugged and inaccessible terrain exist, fire crews are using a tactic called indirect attack which creates control lines away from the fires active edge. Air resources, including several helicopters and air tankers, are being utilized to slow the forward progress of the fire.
The fire has destroyed 23 structures thus far, including 11 homes and 12 outbuildings.
