As of Friday morning, authorities said, the Rim Fire has burned 201,894 acres and is 32 percent contained. Cost of fighting the fire has reached $46.8 million. It’s the fifth largest fire in state history. No. 1, the Cedar Fire burned 273,246 acres in Southern California in 2003.
There was good news out of the Rim Fire on Thursday: Growth of the blaze slowed considerably, and authorities lifted their evacuation advisory for Tuolumne City.
The fire grew to 192,737 acres and was 30 percent contained as of Thursday, according to Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Firefighters are making good progress, he said, noting the fire’s growth had greatly slowed since the early days of the fire, which doubled and redoubled in size after it started Aug. 17.
Thursday afternoon, the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department lifted the evacuation advisory for Tuolumne County, though some road closures remain in effect.
And folks at the Yosemite Conservancy are thinking ahead to after the fire, establishing a special fund to help restore trails, facilities and habitat in Yosemite National Park.
From The Merced Sun-Star: https://www.mercedsunstar.com/2013/08/29/3194061/rim-fire-slows-planning-starts.html