BLM Mother Lode Field Office temporarily closes Merced River recreation sites due to Ferguson Fire
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EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management Mother Lode Field Office has temporarily closed the Briceburg Visitor Center, along with McCabe Flat, Willow Placer and Railroad Flat campgrounds, located along the Merced River, due to the proximity of the Ferguson Fire.
At the time of this release, the Sierra National Forest is reporting the Ferguson Fire has burned approximately 4,000 acres of brush and timber in steep, inaccessible terrain near the Savage Trading Post in Mariposa County, and is two percent contained. The weather forecast is predicting triple digit heat with a slight chance of isolated thunderstorms along the Sierra Nevada.
Evacuation Orders are in effect for Briceburg to Cedar Lodge along State Route 140, and Mariposa Pines north of Bear Clover.
State Route 140 is closed from east of Midpines to Cedar Lodge, and motorists are advised to use an alternate route. The public is warned to not drive into smoke that can obscure your vision, and to remember that fire behavior can be unpredictable.
The Merced River Recreation Area will be closed until further notice. For information on BLM-managed recreation sites, please contact the Mother Lode Field Office at 916-941-3101.
Mother Lode Field Office managed public lands in 14 counties throughout the Sierra Nevada foothills are under Stage 2 fire restrictions and temporary target shooting limitations. Read more at https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-mother-lode-field-office-increases-fire-restrictions. For a current listing of fire restrictions on all BLM California managed public lands, visit https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/california/fire-restrictions.
The latest information on the Ferguson Fire is available at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5927/.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.