Rim Fire Destroys Two Homes

Groveland, CA — The Rim Fire in the Stanislaus National Forest has now burned 10,170 acres.

Forest Service officials report that two homes and five outbuildings were destroyed yesterday along Packard Canyon Road. 2,500 structures are considered threatened. Yesterday the fire jumped over the Tuolumne River and portions of Highway 120, prompting a complete closure indefinitely of 120 between Smith Station and four miles east of Buck Meadows. Advisory evacuations are in place for the Buck Meadows area in Mariposa County, and in Tuolumne County at the San Jose Family Camp, Rainbow Pool, Yosemite Inn, Early Intake, Evergreen Lodge, Packard Canyon and the Spinning Wheel Forest Service Facility. The evacuations are basically the area of Highway 120 from Cherry Lake Road to Smith Station.

An evacuation center is set up at Tioga High School with assistance from the Red Cross. That evacuation center is expected to move to the Mother Lode Fairgrounds later today. A total of 455 firefighters are on scene of the Rim Fire this morning.

A special thanks to our community news partners Lew Richardson, Rick Martinez, Suzanne Ctibor, Mike McEvoy, Jerry Day and Doug Schmiett for sending in photos of the fire. They can be e-mailed to news@clarkebroadcasting.com.