Pinecrest, CA…Fire spread was minimal today due to the inversion layer, although acreage did increase by about 2,000 acres due to better field verification. Calm conditions stayed in place most of the day allowing crews to focus on structure protection; clearing vegetation and extinguishing hot spots. The poor visibility continued to hamper air attack operations, but hand crews were able to put in several miles of line on the southwest side of the river. Firefighter and public safety, and structure protection continue to be the primary objectives of the fire.

Winds will continue to be light and variable, providing little movement for smoke. Smoke that settles with the nighttime inversion will not have opportunity to disperse. This pattern is expected to continue through tomorrow.

Highway 108 is still closed at Eagle Meadow Road from the west and at the top of Sonora Pass on the east side. The Pacific Crest Trail has also been closed between Highway 108 and Highway 4 for public safety.

The incident is in Unified Command with Central Coast Interagency Incident Management Team, Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office, and Tuolumne County Fire Dept.

The fire started at the inlet of Donnell Reservoir and continues to burn along the Middle Fork of the Stanislaus River in steep and inaccessible terrain. It has spread to both sides of Highway 108 near Brightman. The fire is burning north into the Carson Iceberg Wilderness between the Arnot Creek and Disaster Creek drainages and east to Eureka Valley along Highway 108. Due to the other large fires in the region and state, firefighters and equipment are spread thin, but they continue to report to the incident in increasing numbers.

Mandatory Evacuations: This is still in effect along Highway 108 from Eagle Meadow Road to Kennedy Meadows (all residences and campgrounds) as well as all along Eagle Meadow Road (5N01) and the Clark Fork Road area.

For more information about the Stanislaus National Forest, visit us at www.fs.usda.gov/stanislaus, “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/StanislausNF, or “follow” us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/StanislausNF.

For more information on the fire please go to https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6092/

Please visit https://airnow.gov/ for current air quality conditions

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