Update: Peak Fire Acreage And Containment Holds

Update at 6:15 p.m.: The size and containment of the Peak Fire, burning near Herring Creek outside of Pinecrest, are holding steady at 40 acres and 10 percent, respectively. Firefighters will continue to work on laying hose lines and put out spot fires while working towards gaining further containment. The flames spread continues to be moderate. Forest Road 4N12, where the fire ignited before 1 p.m. Wednesday, remains closed at the intersection known as Hamil Canyon. Resources on scene include 8 engines, 3 water tenders, 3 helicopters, and 4 hand crews for a total personnel of 125.

Update at 1:35 p.m.:  The Peak Fire, burning near Herring Creek outside of Pinecrest, has grown to 40 acres, according to Stanislaus National Forest spokesperson Ben Cossel. The flames continue to spread at a moderate rate on an uphill run. Cossel added that there is single-tree torching, as seen in the image box photo. The containment remains at 10 percent. Forest Road 4N12, where the fire ignited around 1 p.m. Wednesday, is closed at the intersection known as Hamil Canyon.

Updates below written by BJ Hansen 11 am: The Stanislaus National Forest updates that the Peak Fire outside of Pinecrest is 30 acres and 10-percent contained.

Spokesperson Benjamin Cossel notes, “Overnight, resources where able to get hose and hand line around the main fire’s edge. Several spot-fires were discovered early this morning and still need to be lined. Today resources will improve line by removing snags and brush along the line to minimize the risk to the containment line and utilize hose lays to begin mopping up the fire.”

Continuing, “Crews will continue to grid outside the main fire’s edge as several large spot-fires were discovered yesterday due to strong winds and torching of large Juniper Tress casting embers far in front of the fire’s edge.”

There are 125 firefighters assigned to the incident, eight engines, three water tenders, four hand crews, one air attack and three helicopters.

FIRE RESTRICTIONS: A soft closure on forest road 4N12 is now in place at the intersection of 4N12 known as Hamil Canyon due to hazards to the public from several snags, aircraft in the area, and firefighters working on the ground. The closure will be assessed daily.

Original story posted at 7:59 am: Pinecrest, CA — The Peak Fire in Tuolumne County, located outside of Pinecrest, is 25 acres.

CAL Fire reports this morning that there is now 10% containment. The fire was located during the one o’clock hour on Wednesday afternoon near Herring Creek in the Stanislaus National Forest. It was burning at a moderate rate of spread. There are no evacuation orders in place, or structures threatened. However, officials have been patrolling nearby campgrounds to warn people about the fire.

It is burning in some timber on both sides of Forest Road 4N12. We will pass along more information today as it becomes available.