Update: Twist Fire in Tuolumne County still at 50% containment by Sunday morning

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Updated: 8:49 a.m. May 24

First discovered: 16 hours ago, 4:22 p.m. May 23

Initial location: Twist Road and Jacksonville Road, Tuolumne County, Calif.

Fire unit: Cal Fire Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Twist Fire

Twist Fire initially started 4:22 p.m. May 23 at Twist Road and Jacksonville Road in Tuolumne County, California.

Since its discovery 16 hours ago, it has burned 24.2 acres. By Sunday morning, a crew of 58 firefighters effectively contained 50% of the fire. The blaze's cause remains under investigation.

Firefighting efforts include five engines, three water tenders and two hand crews. According to Cal Fire, "Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the State are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow."

Fire containment

This is what 50% containment means

The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 50% of the wildfire is halted from spreading, while 50% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn't always correlate to safety level. Also, it's important to note that containment doesn't mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident's central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: Cal Fire

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This story was originally published May 24, 2026 at 9:29 AM.