DECLARED SEVEN DAYS OF MOURNING STARTING TODAY, THREE FIREFIGHTERS ARE RECOVERING RIGHT NOW AFTER THEY WERE HURT WHILE BATTLING A FIRE IN TUOLUMNE COUNTY. THIS TEN ACRE FIRE STARTED YESTERDAY WHEN A CAR CAUGHT FIRE ON OLD PRIEST GRADE ROAD RIGHT OFF OF HIGHWAY 120. THIS PROMPTED EVACUATIONS AS CREWS WERE WORKING TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL, AND LIVECOPTER3 WAS SHOWING US THE DAMAGED CAR. IN THIS VIDEO, YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE GROUND THERE. IN THE BURN SCAR, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE FLAMES SPARKED THE BRUSH SPREAD RIGHT UP THAT STEEP TERRAIN, THE SIDE OF THAT HILL. FORWARD PROGRESS WAS STOPPED JUST BEFORE FIVE YESTERDAY AND EVACUATIONS WERE LIFTED SHORTLY AFTER THAT. CAL FIRE SA
Priest Fire: 3 firefighters injured battling Tuolumne County fire, Cal Fire reports
Updated: 3:09 PM PDT Jul 7, 2026
Three firefighters were injured while battling a vegetation fire in Tuolumne County, officials said Tuesday.Cal Fire, the state’s wildfire management agency, reported the injuries in an incident update. A spokesperson told KCRA 3 that the injuries were from separate incidents and that all firefighters were treated and released.The Priest Fire sparked around 2:25 p.m. Monday at Old Priest Grade and Highway 120 at Big Oak Flat, Cal Fire said. It started as a vehicle fire that spread to nearby vegetation, prompting evacuation orders that have since been lifted.LiveCopter 3 footage at 4:30 p.m. showed that there was no longer a visible smoke plume.Cal Fire reported having stopped forward progress at 4:48 p.m. and is working to place a full perimeter around the burn area, also known as containment lines. The fire has burned 10 acres, and Cal Fire said it has 60% containment around the burn area. The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office said an evacuation order was issued for Priest Station Café at the top of the grade. An evacuation order means people need to immediately move out of the area due to an imminent threat.Evacuation warnings were issued for residents in the Big Oak Flat Area. An evacuation warning means people are advised of a potential threat to life and property and should be prepared to leave. Tuolumne County emergency informationTuolumne County Office of Emergency ServicesSign up for the Tuolumne County Citizen Alert Notification SystemTuolumne County Fire DepartmentHere is a map that shows fire stations in the county.Community maps for helping with an evacuation planFollow Cal Fire’s Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit on X and FacebookFollow Cal Fire’s Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit on X and FacebookSee news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at kcra.com/upload.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google
Three firefighters were injured while battling a vegetation fire in Tuolumne County, officials said Tuesday.
Cal Fire, the state’s wildfire management agency, reported the injuries in an incident update. A spokesperson told KCRA 3 that the injuries were from separate incidents and that all firefighters were treated and released.
The Priest Fire sparked around 2:25 p.m. Monday at Old Priest Grade and Highway 120 at Big Oak Flat, Cal Fire said. It started as a vehicle fire that spread to nearby vegetation, prompting evacuation orders that have since been lifted.
LiveCopter 3 footage at 4:30 p.m. showed that there was no longer a visible smoke plume.
Cal Fire reported having stopped forward progress at 4:48 p.m. and is working to place a full perimeter around the burn area, also known as containment lines.
The fire has burned 10 acres, and Cal Fire said it has 60% containment around the burn area.
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The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office said an evacuation order was issued for Priest Station Café at the top of the grade. An evacuation order means people need to immediately move out of the area due to an imminent threat.
Evacuation warnings were issued for residents in the Big Oak Flat Area. An evacuation warning means people are advised of a potential threat to life and property and should be prepared to leave.
Tuolumne County emergency information
See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at kcra.com/upload.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google