Fire History
Tuolumne County's Sierra Nevada foothill and mountain terrain has a significant fire history. The 2013 Rim Fire (257,314 acres) was one of the largest in California history, burning across Tuolumne County and into Yosemite National Park. The 2018 Donnell Fire burned in the Stanislaus River canyon. Communities in Sonora, Columbia, Jamestown, and the Highway 108 mountain corridor face ongoing fire risk from both canyon and forest fires.
Local Compliance Notes
CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit serves unincorporated SRA areas. Communities along the Highway 108 mountain corridor, Sonora, Columbia, Jamestown, Groveland, and communities near Yosemite face Zone Zero compliance obligations. The combination of Gold Rush-era structures and dense WUI development in the Sonora area makes early assessment important.
Neighborhoods in Zone Zero
High-FHSZ communities in Tuolumne County include Sonora, Columbia, Jamestown, Groveland, Big Oak Flat, Mi Wuk Village, Long Barn, Twain Harte, and communities along Highway 108 toward Sonora Pass.
Local FAQs
Is the Sonora area subject to Zone Zero? Yes — Sonora and surrounding foothill communities are in FHSZ areas. The Rim Fire demonstrated the scale of fire that can affect this county. Contact CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit for Phase 2 timeline information.