Fire threatens 200 homes in Tuolumne County

By ROSALIO AHUMADA , rahumada@modbee.com

last updated: July 22, 2008 07:40:27 PM

JAMESTOWN -- Firefighters were trying to corral a wildfire early this evening that had burned about 100 acres of vegetation and threatened nearly 200 homes in Tuolumne County, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The fire was burning north toward the Tuttletown area near French Flat Road, but it was unclear if any evacuations had been ordered, said Nancy Longmore, a CalFire spokeswoman.

She said flames destroyed one storage container, but no other structures were damaged as of 6:30 p.m. She had no estimate on containment.

The fire appeared to have started about three miles northwest of Jamestown, jumped Mormon Creek and was moving at a moderate pace with plenty of dry, heavy vegetation to burn, Longmore said.

Steep terrain created some access problems for fire crews, and numerous spot fires were making it difficult for firefighters to gain control of the blaze.

Authorities had a road closure at Rawhide and French Flat roads.

Several firefighting agencies from Tuolumne and Stanislaus counties were battling the wildfire, including crews from Modesto, Salida, Oakdale Rural and Stanislaus Consolidated fire agencies.

"We're calling them all in," said Longmore about the firefighting response to the threat to homes.

Most of the resources already had arrived at the scene, she said.

Four helicopters and four military aircraft were fighting the fire from the air, but it was unclear where the military aircraft were from.

The California Highway Patrol and the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Department were assisting fire crews and residents.

Bee staff writer Rosalio Ahumada can be reached at rahumada@modbee.com or 578-2394.

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