10 a.m. PDT July 13, 2021
CAL FIRE reported Tuesday morning that the River Fire 6 miles west of Oakhurst has burned 9,500 acres and destroyed 5 structures.
As of 7:30 a.m Monday, mandatory (leave now) evacuation orders were in effect for Road 800, Road 810, Road 812, Road 600, Apache Road to 612 both sides, Road 600 between Apache Ranch and Blazing Saddle Trail, and JWP Ranch Road.
Resources on the fire include 161 engines, 24 dozers, 24 water tenders, and 30 hand crews for a total of 1,327 personnel. CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 6 has assumed command of the fire.
The River Fire started July 11 and is 10 miles southeast of Mariposa and 28 miles north of Fresno.
On Monday firefighters were working on the fire while the temperature was 99 degrees at the Grub Gulch weather station, with southwest winds gusting at 10 to 17 mph. The forecast for Tuesday is for 101 degrees, 15 percent relative humidity, and 8 to 10 mph southwest and west winds. These are not extreme conditions, but very conducive to continued fire spread with very dry fuels. The forecast for Wednesday is about the same but a bit cooler — 97 degrees.
I worked at the CDF station USONA in the early 80s. (USONA: U.S. of North America). This station would have been first on scene. Although the old timers talked about the Harlow; I never realized that Harlow was a name associated with the start, I thought I knew everyone in the area? Thanks
When fires are caused by nature we consider it a natural cause. When fires are caused by man nature is the victim as well as those who dwell among her. If we take care of this earth the earth will take care of us. It seems our species takes a lot and gives very little. We take until it’s all gone. Nature does not recoup from the devastation. It fights back Take a look around people. We are in a whirlpool of chaos by our own making. COVID, and global warming weren’t caused by nature, they were caused by man. Drought, fires and death just follow suit.
On that happy note . . .
How many people are praying to God for relief from these fires and protection from them, and to keep them from starting in the first place? I think we need more people depending on the Lord for their safety from wild fires and anything else.
“crying won’t help you, praying won’t do you no good” Led Zeppelin
Praying has brought miracles. God has no limits.
The River Fire is in the same footprint as the Harlow Fire of 1961. The simulates are very interesting. Start date July 10th. Location of start Chowchilla River drainage? Fire was 2.5 acres on arrival by CDF and building rapidly. The next day the Harlow burned 18,000 acres in two hours grass, brush and timber, a record at the time. Raced into two communities near Oakhurst California and destroyed them. This is a good study of past fire history.
The Harlow fire was caused by the Harlow kids playing with matches. Hence the name.
One example of the footprint man leaves on the planet. Need I say more?
I am always amazed at the simplicity at which some people process things! So the Harlow fire was started by man (boys). Have you given the thought to how much man has changed the landscape and fire conditions by preventing, slowing and stopping fires? Fire is natural, fighting fires is not, also we could discuss how native Indians used fire to control their environment. Or we can just feel guilty about trying to survive as any other organism does and has done for eternity.