Evacuation orders lifted for Mariposa as crews slow progress of massive wildfire

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Plumes of smoke rises as the northern front of the Detwiler wildfire burns outside of Coulterville, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters from Apple Valley Fire Protection District help mop up residual fire after the Detwiler wildfire burned through an area outside of Mariposa.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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The ruins of a residential neighborhood along Highway 140 lie smoldering after the Detwiler wildfire burned through the area outside of Mariposa.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Workers at Happy Burger Place clean up the restaurant in preparation to open the next morning at 6 o’clock after evacuation orders were lifted in Mariposa.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Fire climbs up a hill as the northern front of the Detwiler wildfire burns outside of Coulterville, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A home destroyed in the Detwiler Fire along Hunters Valley Road near Mariposa, Calif. The blaze has now burned more than 70,000 acres and is 10% contained.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Fire retardant is dropped on a side of a hill near Mariposa, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Plumes of smoke rise around Lake McClure, near Mariposa, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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An ominous cloud of smoke could be seen east of Bear Valley, near Mariposa, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Marc Silva, left, Greg Bodnar and Mike Foster, firefighters from strike team 2800a from Monterey County, mop up hot spots in a residential neighborhood on the outskirts of Mariposa, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A home destroyed by the Detwiler fire along Hunters Valley Road near Mariposa, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A statue sits untouched at the doorstop to a home burned in the Detwiler wildfire in Mariposa, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A home burned down by the Detwiler fire in Mariposa, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Helicopters attack the flames in the hills behind the Idle Wheels Senior Mobile Home in Mariposa, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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The Detwiler fire burns near a residential neighborhood in Mariposa, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Flames rise behind a vacant house as firefighters work to halt the Detwiler fire near Mariposa, Calif.

(Noah Berger / Associated Press)

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The Detwiler wildfire burns near the outskirts of Mariposa, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Smoke engulfs Old Highway Road, in Mariposa, Calif.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters monitor flames on the side of a road July 18 near Mariposa, Calif.

(Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)

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Firefighters monitor flames on the side of a road July 18 near Mariposa, Calif.

(Noah Berger / Associated Press)

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Firefighter Sam Goodspeed of the Nevada City Fire Department stares down the approaching flames of the Detwiler fire July 18 near Mariposa.

(Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)

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A firefighter sprays down flames July 18 near Mariposa.

(Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)

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Mike Wright sits in a lawn chair at his home July 18 as flames from the Detwiler fire approach the town of Mariposa.

(Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)

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A roadside memorial stands next to an area burned by the Detwiler fire in Mariposa, Calif.

(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

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A burned-out car sits next to a home that was destroyed by the Detwiler Fire in Mariposa, Calif.

(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

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A gas line continues to burn at a home destroyed by the Detwiler fire in Mariposa, Calif.

(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

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A chimney stands amid the burned-out remains of a house on July 18 near Mariposa.

(Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)

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Evacuees from the Detwiler fire at a Red Cross evacuation center in Oakhurst, Calif.

(JOSH EDELSON / AFP/Getty Images)

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A real estate sign is surrounded by flames as the Detwiler fire rages on near the town of Mariposa.

(Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)

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The Detwiller Fire burns above Lake McClure near Bear Valley.

(Noah Berger / EPA)

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Animal control officers struggle on July 17 with a sheep while trying to evacuate the animal as the Detwiller fire burns nearby in Bear Valley.

(Noah Berger / EPA)

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An air tanker drops fire retardant while battling the Detwiller fire near Bear Valley.

(Noah Berger / EPA)

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Flames from the Detwiller fire rise over Highway 49 in Bear Valley on July 17.

(Noah Berger / EPA)

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A firefighter works to keep the Detwiller fire from spreading up a hillside near Mariposa on July 17.

(Noah Berger / EPA)

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A car burned by the Detwiller fire sits outside a leveled structure on July 17 near Mariposa.

(Noah Berger / EPA)

By Ruben Vives, Meg Bernhard, Veronica Rocha

July 21, 2017 12:30 PM PT

Reporting from Merced, Calif. — Evacuation orders were lifted for the historic mining town of Mariposa on Friday morning, as firefighters slowed the progress of a massive wildfire burning near Yosemite National Park.

Authorities lifted the evacuation order at 12:15 p.m., but warned residents: “There will still be smoke in the respective areas as firefighters continue firefighting operations. If at anytime you feel unsafe, please call 911.”

The blaze, which has scorched more than 70,000 acres, is now 15% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It has gutted 58 homes, damaged 11 others and triggered the evacuation of approximately 4,000 people in Mariposa County communities.

Dozens of other structures have been destroyed or damaged, Cal Fire said.

Thousands of firefighters plodded through steep hillsides and canyons overnight to reach flames smoldering in chaparral, and at least one firefighter was injured Friday when a fire engine rolled down a hill, officials said. The condition of the firefighter has not yet been made public.

Temperatures should warm up this weekend, but isolated thunderstorms could sweep over the southern Sierra Nevada range on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Hanford.

On Thursday night, residents displaced by the Detwiler fire attended a community meeting at the Merced Theatre, where they expressed concerns about security and inquired when they could return home.

Mariposa County Sheriff Doug Binnewies said he hoped downtown Mariposa would reopen Friday, but he warned that some roads would remain closed because firefighters were still trying to mop up.

Binnewies said deputies were patrolling neighborhoods that were abandoned by homeowners who were forced to flee. He said anyone attempting to commit a crime would be arrested.

“If you’re coming here to do something nefarious, we don’t want you here,” the sheriff said. “Get out.”

With officials opening some areas Friday, Allison Byerley, a pastor in Mariposa, said she planned to prepare a special sermon for Sunday to give thanks and raise spirits.

Byerley said she will quote from Isaiah 43, which reads in part: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. ... When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

“If prayers could put out fires, this one would have been dead awhile ago,” Byerley said.

ALSO

The fight to save the gold-mining town of Mariposa from a monster fire

‘Explosive’ flames destroy 45 homes as 70,000-acre wildfire rages near Yosemite

Whittier fire in Los Padres National Forest consumes more than 18,000 acres

UPDATES:

11:35 a.m.: This article was updated with details on evacuation orders being lifted for Mariposa.

8:35 a.m.: This article was updated with information about the possible return of evacuated Mariposa residents.

7:15 a.m.: This article was updated with new figures on the size of the fire and number of homes destroyed.

This article was originally published at 4 a.m.