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End of the week fire report. We are now in the month of August guys. Fire season is still going strong and if we were keeping track southern California is doing OK compared to the rest of the state. The media is ramping up the California is on fire mantra. In reality, this has been a hot summer and smoke from the large fires up north is starting to make it to our neck of the woods. Stay safe out there SoCal Steemians.
First we have a personal report and on-scene reporting this week from 
Most of the fires have been contained at the smaller level, like the fire in Corona.
The Valley Fire is still stubbornly holding on in the San Bernardino National Forest. Containment is up to 56% with 1,350 acres.
South of the valley fire is a much bigger fire is the Cranston Fire, coming in at 13,139 acres. The fire is coming to an end, containment almost at 100%. Great job and thank you to the fire crew at the Cranston fire, the incident report stated "A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team will arrive Sunday (today)". A BEAR team is a good sign things are wrapping up. Still a lot of work must be done and a fire this size we will see rehab work for the next year or so.
The Ferguson fire has grown to an epic size and closed down the world known Yosemite Valley due to hazardous smoke conditions. Dealing a devastating blow for the surrounding small businesses during the time of the year. The LA Times reported on the eerie status of the icon of all icon parks.
The desolation of Yosemite Valley, where 90% of visitors go when they come to the park, is both eerie and peaceful. And beautiful.
The only occupants of Cook’s Meadow, a lush green area that Gediman describes as the heart of Yosemite Valley, are monarch butterflies and honeybees, enjoying pink California thistle and other wildflowers. The only sounds are the river running and wind blowing as fluffs of dandelions, and ash, float through the air. Cyclists, people fishing in the Merced River and scampering children in school groups are nowhere to be seen.
At sunset, Sentinel Bridge would normally be filled with dozens of photographers trying to capture the orange sun coating Half Dome. Now, the sound of snapping comes not from a camera shutter but from a gray squirrel cracking into a pine cone.
At the Tunnel View overlook — where throngs of tourists snap thousands of photos a year of Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls and Half Dome — only a single person sits in the parking lot.
For those who have never experienced the madhouse of Yosemite Valley in the summertime. The great American "father of the National Parks" John Muir regularly rolls over in his grave as the valley fills to un-natural proportions every day in the summer. I would highly recommend if possible you forgo the experience and visit on the offseason. Or visit any part of the park beside The Valley. On a personal opinion, the Hetch Hetchy Valley could always be used as a backup Yosemite Valley. If it was not currently dammed up and used as San Francisco's personal water storage inside a National Park. We will save that subject for another SoCal history report.
Stats on Ferguson fire:
Size: 89,633 Acres
Contained: 35%
MANDATORY EVACUATIONS: Areas that are currently under a mandatory evacuation include:
Anderson Valley
River Road from Briceburg to last BLM Campground
Cedar Lodge
El Portal Trailer Court
Foresta
Old El Portal
Old Yosemite RoadRancheria Flat
Savage's Trading Post
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite View Lodge
Yosemite West
Northern California has wildfires you can monitor from space. These fires are the reason for a majority of the smoke hazards in California and surrounding states. The Ranch and River fires west of Yuba City have a combined 254,982 acres and 26% & 58% contained.
Carr Fire, caused by a flat tire, has engulfed Whiskeytown NRA and is on the edge of the City of Redding. The fire is being described as the 5th largest fire in California history and the worst fire in Shasta County. Sadly, a 6th individual working for PG&E lost his life while workin on the fire.
The Carr Fire is now 154,524 acres and 41% contained.
