Quick action quells fire at Bass Lake

As if on cue with the official arrival of summer, the Marina Fire started on the Sierra National Forest (SNF) above Bass Lake just before 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23.

The fire was burning off Malum Ridge Road aka Road 274 north of Marina View Drive on the Bass Lake Ranger District in Madera County.

With the SNF and CAL FIRE working under unified command in cooperation with the Madera County Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol, the fire was contained at 1.5 acres, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Smoke was visible from Bass Lake, Crane Valley, Wishon, Valley Vista, The Pines and other mountain communities.

Initial attack included one air tanker, one helicopter, four engines, two crews and a water tender.

Road 274 was closed while dozers and hand crews constructed hand line around the incident, conducted mop-up and secured snags.

“A big shout out to our emergency responders for jumping on the Marina Fire so quickly,” said Bobby Macaulay, District 5 Supervisor for Madera County. “This could have been a bad one!”

Macaulay noted the Marina Fire started within the footprint of a fuel break that was recently constructed through a CAL FIRE grant managed by a local non-profit, Yosemite Sequoia Resource Conservation and Development Council.”

“Great job Y/S! Mitigation works and there is a lot we all can do to keep our community safer,” Macaulay said. “Reach out to any of our partners to find out what you can do.”

• Yosemite Sequoia RC&DC www.ysrcandd.org/

• Eastern Madera County Fire Safe Council easternmaderacountyfiresafecouncil.com/

• Coarsegold Resource Conservation District crcd.org/

• Yosemite Gateway Prescribed Burn Cooperative https:// www.yosemitegatewaypbc.com/