86-MPH Winds Fuel Deadly and Devastating Wildfire in the Eastern Sierra

Photo: Mono County Sheriff

The Mountain View Fire began on Tuesday afternoon and quickly spread through the small mountain communities of Mono County. While it is still unknown the exact damage caused by the now 28,879-acre wildfire, current photos and reports show significant damage in the community of Walker, California, along with fears of casualties. As of 2:30 pm on Wednesday, one fatality has been confirmed.

As the fire began in the Eastern Sierra, winds topped 86 mph in the area north of Yosemite National Park, forming a terrifying pyrocumulus cloud to the area, a sing of extraordinary heat in the midst of the flames.

The Mono County Sheriff quickly began to evacuate the area and closing nearby Highway 395, with the fire reaching 5,000 acres in just hours. The fire burned at an alarming rate overnight, devastating the small communities of Walker:

Following initial assessment of the damage, photos of destroyed homes began to circulate:

“We can regretfully confirm one fatality,” wrote the Mono County Sheriff on social media. “We are not aware of any other significant injuries, and no persons have been reported missing.”

While information on the fast-paced incident remains scarce, evacuations are beginning to be lifted in the area, a sign of a slowing in the growth of the fire. For all updates on the evacuations, follow the Mono County Sheriff on Facebook.

Active NorCal

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