Update: Fire Ignites In Stanislaus National Forest Near Early Intake
Update at 7pm: Progress is being made battling the Early Fire burning within the Rim Fire footprint. It is now 65 acres and 10% contained. Fire crews will remain on scene through the night.
Update at 5:35pm: The Early Fire in the Stanislaus National Forest is still estimated to be around 60 acres in size. The Forest Service reports the forward rate of spread considerably slowed when it reached the top of a nearby ridge. Five air tankers and two helicopters continue to drop water on the fire in hopes of reducing its intensity. Fire crews will remain on the scene through the evening and into tomorrow. The fire is burning in the Rim Fire footprint near the Early Intake Powerhouse off Cherry Lake Road. It remains unclear what ignited the fire. It has been burning in a northerly direction away from populated communities.
A special thanks to community news partner Kevin Ogg for emailing photos. Pictures can be sent to news@clarkebroadcasting.com.
Update at 4:43pm: A fire burning in the Rim Fire footprint in the Stanislaus National Forest has grown to 60 acres.
Forest Service spokesperson Clare Long says it is primarily burning brush within the footprint at a slow to moderate rate of spread. Power lines and two water tanks nearby remain threatened. The fire is near the Early Intake Powerhouse off Cherry Lake Road, and a positive development is that it is moving in a northerly direction, away from populated areas. There are five air tankers and two helicopters assigned to the incident and several ground resources. In addition a Sierra Hotshot crew is on its way to the fire. What ignited the blaze remains under investigation.
Update at 3:45pm: Stanislaus National Forest spokesperson Clare Long reports the fire near Early Intake Powerhouse is still 4-5 acres and several air and ground resources continue to battle the blaze. The fire has been making runs uphill and has burned across Cherry Oil Road. There are some power lines and two nearby water tanks threatened. Additional resources are continuing to arrive.
Original story posted at 3pm: Tuolumne County, CA — There is a fire burning in the Stanislaus National Forest off Cherry Lake Road near the Early Intake dam.
The fire is situated within the Rim Fire burn scar, east of Groveland. Stanislaus National Forest officials are estimating that the size is 4-5 acres. Air attack and two air tankers are responding from Columbia, as well as two available helicopters, one from the Tahoe area and the other from Yosemite. Ground resources are also arriving on the scene. There are some power lines reportedly in the vicinity of the fire. You are encouraged to avoid that area of the forest.
