2 firefighters injured in uncontained blaze near Yosemite National Park

A fire that broke out Sunday near Yosemite National Park still has no containment, according to the latest update by Cal Fire. After starting near Highway 108 and Mill Villa Road in Sonora, the Dove Fire spread quickly, reaching 223 acres by Sunday evening. As of Monday morning, nearly 500 firefighting personnel are battling the blaze along with at least three helicopters and multiple water tankers. 

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Two firefighters were injured battling the blaze, according to Cal Fire spokesperson Emily Kilgore. Both individuals were treated by medical personnel and released with minor injuries.

Kilgore said weather conditions in the area on Monday will include hot and dry weather with temperatures in the mid- to upper 90s. She advised visitors and residents to avoid the areas under evacuation orders and warnings. 

“There’s still significant resources in the area working to construct containment lines and conduct mop-up efforts,” she said. 

Multiple mandatory evacuation orders are in place for the area due to the “immediate threat to life,” according to the Cal Fire. Mandatory evacuation areas include the following roads: Golden Dove, Crooked Lane, Simons Lane, Southgate Drive, Hill Street, Sonora Avenue, Fair Street and Gerrymander Avenue. The full list of the evacuation warnings can be found on the Cal Fire website.

State Route 108 was briefly closed after the fire started but reopened with one lane between the junction of State Route 49 and Washington Street in Sonora. Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Nate Yorston said they have brought on additional staff to patrol evacuated areas.

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“We definitely don’t want any looting or things like that when we’ve issued an order to have people removed from their homes,” Yorston said. 

Evacuation centers include Tuolumne County Resilience Center at 18241 Bay Ave., Tuolumne, and the Tuolumne County Transit Center at 12879 Justice Center Drive in Sonora. An animal evacuation shelter is at Animal Control on 10040 Victoria Way in Jamestown, while large animals can be taken to the Posse Grounds on 19130 Rawhide Road in Jamestown.

Yosemite and surrounding areas have been hit with multiple wildfires in recent years, including the 2022 Washburn Fire that burned nearly 5,000 acres and encroached on the iconic Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias.