Update: July 5, 2024 at 11:30 AM

Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that California has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from FEMA to aid in containing the French Fire in Mariposa County, which has rapidly spread across 843 acres since igniting yesterday evening, prompting the evacuation of 1,100 residents.

This grant follows a recent FMAG secured for the Thompson Fire and a state of emergency declared in Butte County earlier this week.

Original Story

A wildfire ignited near French Camp Road at Highway 49 on Independence Day, CalFire officials reported.

As of Friday morning, the blaze has scorched 843 acres and containment stands at 5%.

Firefighters have deployed bulldozers and handcrews to establish a perimeter on the eastern side of Mariposa. The fire’s intensity is moderate, with crews concentrating efforts on containing the eastern flank.

Pacific Gas & Electric has shut off power to many customers in the area. The utility company has an outage map here.

Evacuations and Road Closures

MANDATORY EVACUATIONS – LEAVE IMMEDIATELY:

• Hospital Road (from Silver Creek to the End, up the mountain)
• Grosjean Road
• Alta Vista Road
• Avoca Vale
• Old Hwy North from Highway 140 to 10th Street
• Slaughterhouse Road
• Williams Road
• Hospital Road
• Smith Road (from Hwy 140 to Hospital Rd)
• Campbell Road
• Pine Street
• Dexter View
• All of Jones Street
• Bullion Street (East Side Only, from Highway 140 to the end of town area, including side roads between Jones and Bullion, 3rd Street to 13th Street)
• Mariposa Street
• Trabucco Street

Deputies are conducting door-to-door notifications in affected areas. Residents who feel unsafe are urged to evacuate immediately without waiting for further notice.

EVACUATION WARNING:

• Parts of Higway 140
• Lakeview Road
• Stockton Creek Area
• Slaughterhouse (from Highway 140 to Allred)
• Allred Road (from Slaughterhouse to Highway 49 South)

SHELTER IN PLACE:

• JCF Hospital
• Yosemite Inn
• Quality Inn

Residents in these areas should prepare for potential evacuation should fire conditions worsen.

Temporary Evacuation Point:

• New Life Christian Church, 5089 Cole Road, Mariposa

Authorities advise the public to avoid the fire area.

ROAD CLOSURES:

• Grosjean Road
• Alta Vista Road
• Avoca Vale
• Jones Street
• Smith Road (from Highway 140 to Hospital Road)
• Hospital Road
• Old Hwy North (from Highway 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 redirected to Miller Road)

Residents and motorists are advised to heed road closures and evacuation orders issued by authorities.

The #FrenchFire burned on the eastern edge of Mariposa overnight. @ALERTCalifornia cameras show a couple isolated areas adjacent to town burning intensely through the night, with fire behavior tapering off in past hour. 06:00 – 7/5/2024 pic.twitter.com/TwVbZPbOHD

— Zeke Lunder ~ The Lookout (@wildland_zko) July 5, 2024