Firefighters battle large French Fire near Mariposa, which forces evacuations, warnings

Firefighters are battling a large wildfire named French Fire near Mariposa, which ignited on Thursday night in the area of French Camp Road and Highway 49.

According to Cal Fire Madera-Mariposa-Merced, the French Fire has burned 843 acres and is 5% contained.

No injuries or structures have been destroyed, but evacuations and warnings have been issued for many parts of Mariposa and surrounding areas.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved the use of federal funds to assist the state in battling the French Fire.

According to the release, at the time of the request from the state for federal funds, the fire threatened approximately 1,019 homes in and around Mariposa and its population of 1,300.

The Fire Management Assistance Grant will help cover the cost of field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilization, and demobilization activities attributed to fighting the fire.

According to Cal Fire, firefighters have constructed a fire line around the eastern side of Mariposa.

Multiple evacuations and road closures are in place.

Areas facing mandatory evacuation include:

▪ Hospital Road- From Silver Creek to the End (up the mountain)

▪ Grosjean Road

▪ Alta Vista Road

▪ Avoca Vale

▪ Old Highway North from 140 to 10th Street

▪ Slaughterhouse Road

▪ Williams Road

▪ Hospital Road

▪ Smith Road from Highway 140 to Hospital Road

▪ Campbell Road

▪ Pine Street

▪ Dexter View

▪ All of Jones Street

▪ Bullion Street— East Side Only from Hwy 140 to the end of the town area. This includes all side roads that run between Jones and Bullion including 3rd Street through 13th Street.

▪ Mariposa Street

▪ Trabucco Street

There are evacuation warnings issued for the following areas:

▪ Parts of Highway 140

▪ Lakeview Road

▪ Stockton Creek Area

▪ Slaughterhouse from Highway 140 to Allred

▪ Allred Road from Slaughterhouse to Hwy 49 South

There are shelter in place warnings for these areas for the JCF Hospital, Yosemite Inn and Quality Inn.

Red Cross has set up a temporary evacuation shelter at the New Life Christian Church located at 5089 Cole Road in Mariposa. Small pets are welcome there too.

Large animals will be sheltered at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds.

Roads that have been closed include:

▪ Grosjean

▪ Alta Vista

▪ Avoca Vale

▪ Jones Street

▪ Smith Road from Hwy 140 to Hospital Road

▪ Hospital Road

▪ Old Hwy North from Hwy 140 to 10th Street

▪ Campbell Road

▪ Dexter View

▪ Pine Drive

▪ Williams Road

▪ Highway 140 from Highway 49 North to East Whitlock

▪ Highway 49 South from Old Highway to Highway 140, Northbound Lanes only- Traffic being re-directed to Miller Road.

The cause of fire is under investigation.