Bullion Fire destroys one home in Mariposa County

MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A family in Mariposa County is devastated after a wildfire destroyed their home and one outbuilding on Wednesday.

"When I came running up the road, I saw it on fire," said Mariposa County resident Ed Bellinger.

"You could just see the flames had engulfed the whole wooden porch, part of it had collapsed and now it looks like just the chimney standing."

Bellinger lives next door to where the Bullion Fire sparked off Highway 49 and Old Toll Road in Mariposa County.

"You have a one acre lot with four-foot high weeds, that's a bunch of fire fuel," Bellinger explained while pointing to the charred lot by his home.

The flames sparked around two Wednesday afternoon, burning near the Mariposa Yosemite Airport and forcing a temporary closure of Highway 49.

"I stepped outside and there were a bunch of trucks going by and it looked like there was a house that's probably fully involved over there because there was a lot of black smoke and it was moving quick," Mariposa County resident Rex Fouch said.

Crews moved quickly from the air and on the ground.

They were able to gain control of the fire and lift all evacuation orders and warnings by Wednesday evening.

"The first few planes and helicopters did a really good job and then there were more and more and more came in," Fouch said.

"I started feeling pretty confident that we're not going to have a real issue where the houses are."

But one family is now left without a home.

"It's very heartbreaking," CAL FIRE MMMU Battalion Chief, Robert Carvalho said.

"You don't want to see no family displaced, especially at times like this- it's hot outside."

CAL FIRE says one person was injured in the blaze.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

This blaze comes less than two weeks after the French Fire threatened the heart of Mariposa on the 4th of July.

That fire destroyed 11 structures, including three homes, and damaged a fourth.

CAL FIRE continues to stress the importance of defensible space to prevent the spread of wildfires.

For news and weather updates, follow Tiffany Olin on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.