Awahanee, CA, August 2, 2018 – On Sunday, July 29, 2018, Brian Hughes, 33, Captain of the Arrowhead Interagency Hotshots lost his life battling the Ferguson Fire on the Sierra National Forest. An official memorial website has been established in honor of Captain Hughes. There, the public can learn about him, upcoming memorial services, and where to send condolence letters or contributions. The site also includes a section for visitor-submitted memories and condolences. more…

The Ferguson Fire now in its 21th day, started July 13 on the Sierra National Forest and is managed under unified command between the United States Forest Service, California Interagency Incident Management Team 4, CALFIRE and the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office.

The fire is now 68,610 acres with 39% containment and 3,344 personnel that are currently engaged on the fire which include 145 engines, 45 water tenders, 14 helicopters, 88 crews, 5 masticators and 49 dozers. There have been 2 fatalities and 11 injuries to date. 10 structures has been destroyed.

Firefighters worked throughout the night to contain a couple spot fires outside of Wawona as they made progress toward full suppression of the Ferguson Fire.

The high pressure system above the fire is weakening which will result in warmer and drier conditions. With lower winds speeds and the inversion layer forecasted to lift by midday, residents are likely to see taller smoke columns than they are used to seeing.

Natural resource specialists have begun surveying the western side of the fire today to assess areas requiring repair and mitigation. Firefighters, in conjunction with resource advisors, play an important role in helping the landscape recover from containment lines and other suppression tactics.

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Yosemite National Park announces Yosemite Valley, Wawona Road, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, the Merced Grove of Giant Sequoias, Hetch Hetchy, and other areas will remain closed to all visitors through Sunday, August 5, 2018 due to continued unhealthy smoke impacts and ongoing firefighting operations. For information on Yosemite National Park, go to: nps.gov/yose or call 209-372-0200. Road Closure map and

The public is reminded to stay vigilant on current fire conditions.