Updated map of Detwiler Fire near Mariposa, CA — Wednesday afternoon

Map Detwiler Fire

Above: Map of the Detwiler Fire. The blue line was the perimeter at 10 p.m. PDT July 18. The dots represent heat detected by a satellite, with the red ones being the most recent, from 1:30 p.m. PDT July 19, 2017.

(Originally published at 4:32 p.m. PDT July 19, 2017)

A satellite that overflew the Detwiler Fire at 1:30 p.m. PDT on Wednesday detected heat sources that, if accurate, indicate that in the previous 15 hours since the last fixed wing aircraft mapping flight, the fire spread significantly to the north toward Coulterville and to the south east of Catheys Valley. There was also expansion on the east side, but very little on the west.

The data from this satellite hundreds of miles overhead is not nearly as sensitive and accurate as a dedicated fixed wing mapping aircraft, so this information should be considered tentative until the next conventional mapping flight which will probably occur Wednesday night. The sensors only pick up large heat sources. If it does turn out to be accurate, we’re looking at more than 60,000 acres.

The growth toward the north is consistent with the satellite photograph taken Wednesday afternoon, which shows dense smoke being pushed north.

Detwiler Fire NASA satellite photograph
NASA satellite photograph taken Wednesday afternoon, July 19. The red dots represent heat. Click to enlarge.

(All articles on Wildfire Today about the Detwiler Fire are tagged “Detwiler Fire” and can be found here, with the most recent at the top.)

Typos, let us know HERE, and specify which article. Please read the commenting rules before you post a comment.

Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

11 thoughts on “Updated map of Detwiler Fire near Mariposa, CA — Wednesday afternoon”

  1. I live in Mariposa city and evacuation orders are now lifted here so good to be home.

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  2. Hi and oh my, sadness for all of you and yours living within that fire zone. We went through the fires on Croy Rd. Morgan Hill, Ca. Please, please listen to your fire fighters when they say evacuate! ! They mean what they say and say what they mean! Grab up your pets, PICTURES, and portable instruments. Then get the heck out of there. Please ?? love yourselves 1st. Remember that our Firefighters are there risking their lives for you and yours. They also want to return home to their loved ones. Xoxo

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  3. Hi Bill –
    Are there any websites that have real-time (or very close to real-time) satellite views of the burn area so that one could zoom in to see if their property has burned?
    Many thanks for the info you provide, though I find it frustrating to find maps that are outdated or do not have landmarks noted, or the fire patches are opaque and cover the photo beneath them.
    Praying for fire fighters and all affected by this fire and that it is contained and extinquished with no loss of life and minimal property loss. Lord know the whole area needed ‘brushing’, but this is the hard way to get it done!

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    1. There is no satellite imagery available to civilians that can provide what you are asking for. You complained about “maps that are outdated”, but left the comment on an article posted yesterday rather than one posted today.

      All articles on Wildfire Today about the Detwiler Fire are tagged “Detwiler Fire” and can be found here, with the most recent at the top.

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        1. This is a state responsibility fire and California does not participate on Inciweb. Here is an example of fire information provided by CAL FIRE.

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  4. The fire, yesterday, was within a mile of central Mariposa (per: pressreader/LA Times). The imaging from the last map available of the Detwiler Fire was current at 1 a.m. If the fire grew by 4 miles on the north side, 3 miles on the south side, and 2 miles on the east – then something doesn’t add up. According to Sierra News, the fire lines around both Mariposa and Coulterville have held. Somebody’s information is off. It could not have been one mile of central Mariposa and grown 2-3 miles that direction and the line held. The “line” had to have been moved inside the previous identified parameter or some of this information is erroneous. Question, why are there no maps from this morning and today’s is not available? Curious what perspective is?

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    1. Lori. You took numbers from Thursday’s article and used them in your comment above on Wednesday’s article. All posts on Wildfire Today about the Detwiler Fire are tagged “Detwiler Fire” and can be found here, with the most recent at the top.

      But on Thursday, the distance we reported the fire moved on the south side was not at Mariposa (which I would call the southeast side), it was a different location on the south side, closer to Catheys Valley.

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      1. Thanks, I was trying to correlate news from different sources. Thank you for your clear reporting; it is a great public service. Much appreciated!

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  5. I am a retired U.S. Forest Service fire fighter. Much experience…I highly recommend forcing evacuation this fire has potential to head in any direction fast.

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