A fire that sparked Friday afternoon in Mariposa County has forced immediate evacuations for nearby residents, officials said. The Oak Fire started sometime after 2:30 p.m. near Highway 140 and Carstens Road by the community of Midpines, east of Modesto. Throughout the day, the fire […]

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M — U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore cited extreme fire danger and unfavorable weather conditions Friday in announcing a suspension of all planned fire burning operations to clear brush and small trees on all national forest lands […]