Briceburg Fire: 4,900 acres, 28 percent contained, burning near Yosemite
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Briceburg Fire once again grew overnight and has now burned 4,900 acres.
According to CAL FIRE, containment also increased to 28 percent as nearly 1,400 crew members work to control the blaze.
One structure has been destroyed.
Wildfire concerns left approximately 800,000 Californians in the dark on Wednesday, including customers in Mariposa County.
Pacific Gas & Electric was beginning to restore power after shutting it down in parts of 34 counties to reduce the risk of starting a wildfire. The Golden State has hot weather and high winds in the pipeline, which makes wildfires more likely to break out.
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A number of warnings and watches are in effect.
Authorities have issued mandatory evacuation orders for both sides of Highway 140 from the Octagon to Buffalo Gulch Road, including the Bug Hostel area and all of Buffalo Gulch Road.
Fire advisements have also been issued for surrounding areas including:
-Colorado Road from Hwy 140 to Davis Road
-All of Davis Road
-Hwy 140 from Colorado Road to the Midpines Market
-Ponderosa Way including all side roads: Deer Park, Leichtlin Lane and Feliciana Mtn Road
-Rancheria Creed Rd.
-Rumley Mine Rd.
A major tourist route to Yosemite National Park remains closed because of the Briceburg Fire that is burning along Highway 140.
Officials are directing travelers to take alternate roads into the park.
"Highway 140 is closed between Colorado Road and incline which impedes the access into Yosemite. Visitors to Yosemite can gain access through Highway 120 and Highway 41," a CAL FIRE representative told Action News. "Some areas are inaccessible by foot so we're dealing with that with aircraft resources."
It is still unclear what sparked the fire, which is burning near the area of last year's devastating Ferguson Fire.
The Ferguson burn scar could help firefighters with their effort because many of the fuels are no longer consumable but it still poses a risk for the things that have grown up for what crews call 'light flashy fuels'.
CAL FIRE officials say the biggest challenge for firefighters is the steep and rugged terrain that's nearly inaccessible for them, so their strongest line of defense is coming from the air.
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The sheriff's office says they haven't requested mutual aid and are keeping an eye on evacuated areas themselves.
They are asking residents to download Mariposa County Sheriff's Office Alert, which allows county officials to give people the latest details about the Briceburg Fire.
Mariposa County Supervisor Kevin Cann stressed that power had not been shut off to downtown Mariposa and the area continues to welcome travelers.
Conditions allowed CAL FIRE's crews to increase containment overnight.
Some ignited controlled fires and burned the unburned fuels between the body of the fire and the containment lines - to ensure the fire does not cross the containment lines on its own and catch them unprepared.
Others continued to douse the flames from high above.
Meanwhile, support crews clocked in.
Video: 'They'll come back with poison oak and eyes swollen shut'
Maria Avilez, who works for a company that supplies showers, mobile-kitchen units, and refrigeration trucks, says it's always clear how hard the firefighters are working.
"It's crazy because sometimes they'll come back with poison oak and eyes swollen shut. Their clothes smell crazy," she says.
Avilez hopes the job she and her coworkers are doing helps them on the front line.
"A lot of them get happy when they see us - a clean shower and clothes," she says.
The Mariposa County Unified School District has shut down three schools - Coulterville High, Greeley Hill and Lake Don Pedro elementary schools - and is monitoring air quality to see if it needs to cancel classes a third day.
It has also set up satellite classrooms for students living on the other side of the road closure.
A Red Cross Evacuation Center has been established at the New Life Christian Church at 5089 Cole Road, Mariposa, CA 95338. Tips for those evacuating can be found here.
