(Above: Ferguson Fire photo uploaded to InciWeb around July 18, 2018)
(Originally published at 3:24 p.m. MDT July 20, 2018)
The Ferguson Fire that has been burning since July 13 has become almost predictable over the last three or four days, adding a few thousand acres each day. Since we last wrote about this fire two days ago west of Yosemite National Park in California it has added about 5,500 acres, again on the west, south, and east sides bringing the total up to 22,892 acres. So far firefighters have been mostly successful in keeping the north side of the fire from crossing Highway 140, one of the several routes into the Park. The highway has been closed from El Portal Road to 1.5 miles West of Midpines for several days.
CLICK HERE to see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Ferguson Fire, including the most recent.
About half a dozen areas are under mandatory evacuation orders, primarily on the north and west sides of the blaze. Other areas have been warned that they may have to evacuate on short notice.
On Thursday firefighters worked on the primary containment line on the west side of the fire along Henness Ridge which should be complete by the end of the day on Friday. Firefighters working on indirect lines (built away from the fire’s active edge) around the community of Jerseydale also made good progress Thursday.
As of Friday morning no structures have been damaged or destroyed.
Yosemite National Park remains open, but often the smoke is very dense. For information about the park, go to: nps.gov/yose or call 209-372-0200.
Earlier today we posted a map that shows the distribution of wildfire smoke in the United States.
It crossed 140 this afternoon.