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Monday, August 26, 2013

RIM fire 160,980 acres 20% contained

Rim Fire Incident Information:
Last Updated: August 26, 2013 6:30 pm  
Date/Time Started: August 17, 2013 3:25 pm  
Administrative Unit: Stanislaus National Forest/ CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit 
County: Tuolumne County  
Location: 3 miles east of Groveland along Hwy 120  
Acres Burned - Containment: 160,980 acres - 20% contained  
Structures Threatened: 4,500  
Structures Destroyed:23  
 
Evacuations: A Mandatory Evacuation was issued for residences north of Old Yosemite Road (Forest Road 2S01).
Evacuation Warning has been issued for all residences north of Bull Creek Road (Forest Road 2S02), Bondurant Mine Road, Texas Hill Road, and Wampum Hill. An evacuation advisory has been issued for Tuolumne City and the area east of Highway 108 to Mi-Wok Village.
An evacuation center is at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds in Sonora. Highway 120 at the Yosemite National Park boundary west to Buck Meadows has been evacuated.  
Road Closures :Highway 120 remains closed to all inbound and outbound Yosemite National Park traffic to Crane Flat Campground. Highway 120 east  
Injuries: 2  
Cause: Under Investigation 
Cooperating Agencies: CAL FIRE, USFS, CDCR, Mariposa County Sheriff, Tuolumne County Sheriff, California Conservation Corps, CHP, DOD, NWS, Pacific Gas and Electric, City and County of San Francisco Dept of Emergency Management., and the Red Cross.  
Total Fire Personnel: 3,752  
Total Fire Engines: 460  
Total Fire crews: 71  
Total Helicopters: 15  
Total Dozers: 60  
Total Water Tenders: 43  
Conditions: The Rim Fire continues to burn on the Stanislaus National Forest, Yosemite National Park, Bureau of Land Management and State responsibility land. The fire is exhibiting continued growth to the northeast and east. On the western side of the fire, crews successfully conducted firing operations to bring the fire line down to the Tuolumne River in efforts to keep the fire from spreading to the west toward the Highway 108 corridor. Aerial resources continue to be effective in reducing the spread of fire toward the Highway 108 corridor. Crews continue to construct line construction where accessibility and safety allows. In addition, structure defense and contingency planning continues in the Mather area. The Stanislaus National Forest has issued an area closure for the entire Groveland Ranger District and for the Mi-Wok Ranger District east of Highway 108. Additional details are available from the Groveland Ranger District, 209-962-7825
Be advised that areas burned by the Rim Fire may still pose hazards. Fire weakened trees, burning stump holes, and large fire apparatus may be present. Entry into the burned areas is strongly discouraged.
CAL FIRE went into unified command with the US Forest Service on Wednesday, August 21, 2013.