Mariposa County recently experienced one of the wetter winter and spring seasons in the last few years, and that bodes well for current wildland fire conditions.

According to CAL FIRE Deputy Division Chief Bill Hodson, “We’re in pretty good shape right now. Fuel moisture levels are holding because we haven’t had an extended streak of real high temper- atures and from the long, wet winter and spring we experienced.”

The most recent vegetation fires have been grass fires sparked by mowing equipment. “We expected to have a pretty busy season of early grass fires because of the amount of growth from the wet weather. We aren’t going to discourage residents from mowing. They need to do it before 10 a.m. and have water, yard tools and someone assisting them. It will make a big difference by the time the serious season gets here.”

CAL FIRE is now fully staffed for the current season. The Mariposa and Coulterville stations have two engines with round-the-clock crews that include three firefighters and a drew chief. The other three CAL FIRE stations in Cathey’s Valley, Hornitos, and at Usona, have single engines that are fully staffed 24 hours per day.

In addition, CAL FIRE has access to all five California Department of Corrections (CDC) hand crews stationed at Mt. Bullion, and a pair of CAL FIRE bulldozers ready to roll.

“I anticipate that next week the southern part of the state is going to start warming up, so we could be down there helping them. I expect our brush to be at a critical burning stage in four to six weeks, so by the time we hit the middle of August, our threat level will increase,” Hodson said.

Right now, Hodson explained, there is too much moisture in the fuels to allow a fire to heat up and reach spread into the ladder fuels, but he warns that if a winddriven fire or a fire in heavily matted grass gets rolling, it could be a significant event.

CAL FIRE’s residential inspections for 100-foot clearance are ongoing. Currently inspectors are contacting residents who haven’t complied with the 100-foot requirement and issuing warnings. Inspectors then return in two or three weeks to determine if the property has been brought into compliance. If it hasn’t they have the option of turning the case over to Fire Prevention, which has the authority to cite and fine residents for not complying with the state law.