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FIRE SPREADS INTO YOSEMITE
The Modesto Bee
29 June 2008
A fire that’s been burning in the Stanislaus National Forest for eight days spread into Yosemite National Park on Saturday, according to authorities.
Lightning started about 10 small fires in the area June 21 just before 4 p.m.; the largest fire became the North Mountain fire.
Steep, rugged terrain continued to slow the progress of firefighters trying to put out the blaze, and officials did not have an estimate for when the fire would be fully contained.
As of Saturday afternoon, the North Mountain fire had burned 1,500 acres in the Groveland Ranger District north of the Tuolumne River, and 30 percent of the fire had been contained. The fire had not jumped the Tuolumne River, but it spread into an area where the Yosemite National Park boundary reaches north of the river, said Pam Bierce, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service.
She said the fire had burned a small area inside Yosemite National Park just east of the North Mountain lookout point in the Stanislaus National Forest. But it was unclear how much land in Yosemite had burned.
A fire retardant mixing base was in operation at Pine Mountain Airport on Saturday to allow for rapid use of retardant on the fire. Bierce said ground crews digging fire lines were assisted by a Type 1 heavy helicopter, which has the capability of carrying up to 1,800 gallons of fire retardant. She said area residents should expect to hear and see more firefighters and helicopter activity as more fire crews and aviation equipment arrive.
Authorities will continue to monitor through the weekend a subtropical weather system that moved in and could bring thunderstorms, wind and lightning to the area, officials said.
No evacuations have been ordered, but contingency plans have been created. No roads have been closed, but the Preston Falls Trail is closed.
MISSING HIKERS FOUND SAFE IN SIERRAS
Sean Maher
Oakland Tribune
25 June 2008
Nine teenagers, including one from Alameda, and two adult guides missing in Yosemite National Park since Sunday were found safe at a general store Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
“They’re all OK,” said Deputy Christian Curtice of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department. “They were found at Florence Lake, out by the search area.”
Curtice said the party was found about 10 miles from where they disappeared.
The group, made up of teens from across the country, had been out in association with the outdoor adventure program Outward Bound.
The group of teens ranged in age from 13 to 16, including a 16-year-old girl from Alameda and a 16-year-old girl from East Palo Alto.
Together with a pair of 30-year-old guides, they parted from a third adult guide Sunday with plans to rendezvous, but never appeared at the agreed-upon meeting place. The third guide searched for them by himself for two days before calling Outward Bound. Outward Bound staff then contacted the sheriff’s office, which began looking for the group in a 30-square-mile area to the north and east of Courtwright Reservoir.
The group had set out from the Maxon Trailhead on Sunday prepared for a two-week backpacking and climbing excursion, Curtice said.
Search and rescue teams made up of 35 sheriff’s office personnel on foot, horseback, in jeeps and in a helicopter expanded the search area to 90 square miles Wednesday afternoon, Curtice said.
The elevation in the area is 9,000 to 10,000 feet.
Curtice said he would not identify any members of the hiking party because so many juveniles were involved.
“They showed up at a general store and somebody called the authorities,” he said. “And that’s it.”
YOSEMITE TRAM BURNS
Sierra Star
20 June 2008
An open-air tram run by Delaware North caught fire in Yosemite National Park Saturday at 2 p.m. between Yosemite Valley and the Tunnel View area of the park. Park ranger and spokesperson Scott Gediman said traffic was stopped for about two hours and added that no one was injured. Delaware North has roughly 15 trams that run throughout the day, seven days a week, with each featuring a two-hour loop through the valley. Gediman said that roughly 0 people were on board the tram that caught on fire. Those on the tour were then transferred to another tram.
