Firefighters make significant progress on Mono County blaze that prompted evacuations

Firefighters made steady progress fighting a slow-moving brush fire near Yosemite National Park and Mammoth Mountain on Sunday.

The Inn fire began Thursday afternoon off Highway 395 in Mono County. By nightfall, it had grown to over 500 acres, prompting evacuations spanning much of Mono City and Lundy Canyon.

But as weather improved into Saturday evening, CalTrans reopened the highway to one-way traffic, and the Mono County Sheriff’s Office downgraded the evacuation orders to advisories, allowing residents to return home. As of 10 a.m. Sunday, the fire sat at 726 acres.

Overnight, fire crews with Cal Fire, Inyo National Forest and other local departments upped containment from 0% to 15%. In an update Sunday morning, officials described the fire behavior as “minimal, with creeping and smoldering observed through much of the day.” But, they said “significant work” remained to contain the blaze.

Containment began along the north edge of the fire as bulldozers cleared lines in the brush to stop its spread. Ground crews hand-dug containment lines along the majority of the remaining perimeter, where the terrain is too rugged for heavy equipment, said Lisa Cox, public affairs officer for Inyo National Forest.

“We can’t get dozers up on the west flank of the fire,” Cox said. “It’s extremely rough, rugged territory.”

There were five helicopters, 16 engines and 686 personnel assigned to the fire as of Sunday morning.

With mild weather expected for the next few days, fire officials don’t expect additional road closures or evacuation orders.

Mono Lake — which sits higher than 6,300 feet in elevation and reflects the Sierras across its nearly 70-square-mile surface — is a popular destination for hikers, kayakers and bird watchers.

As visitors head to the area for the holiday weekend, Cox urged patience and caution.

“Slow down; don’t be in a hurry. … There’s going to be traffic backup,” she said. “There are still firefighters working along the entire highway.”

The Inn fire is one of five active blazes in the state, according to Cal Fire, and one of 27 that started within the last week, as warmer temperatures begin to usher in California’s fire season.