River Fire containment nears 60% as weather eases. But hotter temps are on the way again

Cooler weather in the Sierra Nevada on Friday helped fire crews continue to subdue the River Fire, with containment rising to 59% in an early-evening update while the number of acres burned remained at 9,500.

Firefighters, however, were preparing for temperatures to rise again at least slightly and for lower humidity over the weekend, according to Cal Fire.

The fire, which erupted Sunday afternoon and was burning in Madera and Mariposa counties southwest of Yosemite National Park, has destroyed five structures.

A total of 1,116 personnel are battling the blaze with seven helicopters, 181 engines, and 11 bulldozers.

All evacuations for both counties were lifted, as were road closures, although incident officials urged drivers to watch for emergency vehicles in the area.

This story was originally published July 16, 2021 at 8:21 AM.