Dog Rock Fire--Yosemite

[Preston]

Yet another fire in Yosemite. The fire is called the "Dog Rock Fire". The fire started near Highway 140/Foresta area late Tuesday afternoon. Last reports indicated the fire is 130 ac., and evacuation for Foresta has been ordered. Highway 140 is closed at the El Portal entrance to the park. The Big Oak Flat Road and Highway 41 are open at this time. Sadly, a Cal Fire S-2T air tanker has crashed on the fire. The condition of the aircraft and the pilot are unknown. Fire officials are attempting to reach the site. It is not known where the tanker was based, other than that it was Not based at Columbia Air Attack.

More info at MyMotherLode.com (http://www.mymotherlode.com/)

So, if you're planning a trip to Yosemite, keep an eye on conditions in the park.

Please keep the safety of the aircrew and the fire fighters in your thoughts.

--P

[Preston]

Update: The fire is now 150 Ac. No containment. Sadly, the pilot did not survive. Highway 140 is still closed at Arch Rock, and there is a power outage in the Valley.

Moderators: Would one of you please change the thread title to "Dog Rock Fire--Yosemite". Thanks.

--P

[Drew Wiley]

That's sad. I've known a number of aerial fire crew members over the years, and they used my nephew's big meadow near Bootjack as a landing and staging area during the big Merced canyon fire near El Portal a few years back. Like other hill kids, I too was on the fire line a number of times, long ago. I just took a look at my
4X5 color negs last nite looking at the canyon scars of last summer's burn, still raw, with eerie light from yet another nearby fire, or perhaps the one in the Valley.
People who want to suburbanize the brush sure take their chances. It's only a matter of time. But those canyons will green up phenomenally with a good rain, followed
by fireweed and eventually poppies, then the brush cycle will start all over again, beginning with our state flower, poison oak!

[Darin Boville]

For those of you that have not been to Yosemite the fire is apparently very near the road (140)--that cliff in the picts of the fire is the cliff adjacent to the Yosemite View lodge, just outside the park boundary. Some of the reports mentioned that some debris from the airplane crash fell onto the road itself.

--Darin

[Curt]

It is very sad that the tanker pilot did not survive the crash. I know how the family feels because I was in their place one time many years ago. Firefighting is a war and as such is extremely dangerous. I want to thank all of those who risk their lives in these extreme situations.

[John Kasaian]

Here's the local news
http://abc30.com/news/pilot-in-yosemite-airtanker-crash-has-died/341309/