Fish Camp residents allowed to return as Railroad Fire fight continues

Orders that had kept the Fish Camp area closed to residents because of the Railroad Fire were lifted late Monday night, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office announced.

The sheriff’s office said the evacuation orders affect only the Mariposa County part of the region along Highway 41, from the Mariposa-Madera county line to the Wawona Gate at Yosemite National Park. The area is reopening only to residents.

Highway 41 remains closed from the county line to Sky Ranch Road above Oakhurst, so the only access to the area is from the north via Yosemite.

U.S. Forest Service incident managers said Monday evening that the Railroad Fire was 23 percent contained at 9,790 acres but continues to grow slowly toward the southeast. Skies in the region were mostly cloudy Monday with increased humidity, including a brief period of rain, helping to moderate the fire’s growth.

The Fish Camp news was the only change in evacuation orders.

Fire information officer Anne Grandy on Monday night said the Railroad Fire had gone through Nelder Grove, a stand of about 100 ancient giant sequoia trees, but with precautions taken ahead of time, the amount of damage was less severe then anticipated.

Grandy said heavy smoke from the fire has made it difficult for air support in the area.

A spot fire had been reported Saturday night west of Highway 41 and north of Road 620. The fire was last reported to have grown to around 75 acres, Grandy said.

This story was originally published September 4, 2017 at 8:57 PM with the headline "Fish Camp residents allowed to return as Railroad Fire fight continues."