Dog Rock Fire Update for October 9, 2014 at 6 pm

October 09, 2014 Posted by: Yosemite Fire Information
Current Situation: Due to the excellent progress firefighters have made the evacuation of Foresta was lifted this  afternoon. Control lines and hoselays along the north end of the fire are complete. Crews will work to mop-up that area of the fire to assure it remains contained.

The fire continues to burn downhill toward El Portal Rd and firefighters have established a hoselay from the road  along the east edge of the fire to contain hotspots. Snags and rolling material continue to fall on El Portal Rd and firefighters quickly responded to these threats. Ground crews received heavy support from helicopters making water drops, especially in areas that are unsafe due to terrain and snags.

Tonight crews will work along El Portal Rd. to assure no burning material crosses the road.

The park is open and campgrounds, hotels, and other visitor services are open and operating at normal hours.
Except for the closure of State Highway 140 at El Portal all other park roads are open. Access to Yosemite is
available via Wawona (Hwy 41) and Big Oak Flat Road (Hwy 120) and via Tioga Pass (Hwy 120). Visitors may see smoke in the immediate vicinity of the fire.

Fire Investigation: Yosemite fire investigators assisted by interagency cooperators have determined the cause of the Dog Rock Fire. Based on their investigation it is believed that the fire was started by sparks generated by hot metal fragments from a vehicle. This could be the result of several things such as trailer safety chains dragging on the pavement, vehicle brake parts generating a spark or other sources. Due to the extremely dry conditions in the park a single spark can start a wildland fire. Visitors can help reduce the likelihood of igniting a wildfire by assuring
their vehicles are maintained and operated safely.

The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting the investigation on the air tanker crash that occurred on Tuesday. Pacific Gas and Electric Company crew assessed the damage to the park’s power lines in order to prepare to return full power to the Valley. The IMT and firefighters will provide assistance and support to these entities in order to assure their safety and facilitate their efforts.

Road Closures: Highway 140 from Park Line near El Portal to the Big Oak Flat Road and El Portal Road Junction.

Fire Facts: 279 acres at 25% containment

Additional Information

Dog Rock Fire Information Phone: 209.372.0327;372.0328;372.0329 (7:00 AM to 8:00 PM)

Current Conditions in Yosemite: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

Park Web Page:https://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/fireinfo.htm

Yosemite Air Quality:www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/aqmonitoring.htm

Cal Fire information concerning the aircraft accident:Daniel Berlant –(916) 651.3473

Last updated: October 9, 2014

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