Full Containment Reached On Priest Fire

Published Jul 8, 2026 7:27 am

Priest Fire - CAL Fire Image

Groveland, CA — Firefighters have reached 100% containment on the Priest Fire that ignited Monday afternoon near Old Priest Grade and Highway 120.

As of Tuesday morning, it was 60% contained, and CAL Fire reports that full containment was declared by Tuesday evening.

The agency reports that the official cause is still under investigation. The initial report on Monday was that the fire was ignited by a vehicle and it spread to nearby vegetation.

CAL Fire states that three firefighters suffered injuries while fighting the blaze.

The fire was in a dangerous location. We reported Tuesday that CAL Fire Assistant Unit Chief Nathan Gorham stated, “We were able to hold the fire to 9.5 acres in an area that had not burned since 1992 in the Moccasin Fire. That last fire went 8,300 acres, if I recall, so I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of the agencies who responded and mitigated this emergency.”

Evacuation orders were initiated on Monday afternoon for the Priest Café and along Priest Coulterville Road. They were reduced to warnings after the forward spread of the fire was stopped late Monday afternoon.

Old Priest Grade remained closed on Tuesday for mop-up operations, but it has since reopened.