WEEICENDER: econd aturday Art Night turns five MORE IN WEEKENDER:'Hermitfest' includes live music, food andart activities
INSIDE:Eight arrested in undercover operation,Back Page
1HE MOl HERLODE'S LEADING INFORMATION SOURCE SINCE1854 • SONORA, CALIFORNIA
THURSDA Y SEPTEMBER 10, 2015
Nother lodefires
TODAY 'S READiRBOA RD BRIEFING
Phone scams-
Amador's Butte Fire jumps to Mokelumne Hill
Mother Lode residents still a target of phone seams.A2
New TUDchief — Thomas J. Haglund named new TUD general manager.A2
By JASON COWAN The Union Democrat
ACCidentS -Three
The Butte Fire jumped across the Mokelumne River drainage area Wednesday evening and entered Calaveras County from Amador, according to the Cal Fire information website. The fire began at 2:26 p.m. on the 17700 block of Butte Mountain Road in Jackson, Amador County, Cal Fire said. It had burned 1,200 acres and was 30 percent contained as of 8:24 p.m. Wednesday night. Fire crews, including 20
motorcycle accidents, one of which was fatal, occurred in the past few days in Calaveras County.A2
Parking — Relaxed City of Sonora parking rules to take effect in about 30 days. Back Page
HEALTH
fire engines, six crews, five • PLAYINGTOGETHER:Soulsbyville Head Start gets new inclusive playground.B1 • SYMONS AWARD: Longtime Tuolumne County residents Bill and Suzy McEntire will be presented with the prestigious Irving Symons Award.B1 • PROJECT HOPE: SRMC mobile health van up and running again.B1
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Craig Cassidy /Courtesy photo
The Butte Fire, which originated in Amador County, jumped Wednesday afternoon to the Mokelumne Hill area of Calaveras County. As of Wednesday night, the fire had burned 1,200 acres and was 30 percent contained.
• WATER WARRIORS: TCAM swimmers compete at Pinecrest.C1 • PREPS ROUNDUP: Polo 'Cats sweep Pride Frog golfers top Hughson in non-league match.C1 • NFL:Carr brings added confidence into year 2.C2
Fire underscores threat-
to local water supply Oak Fire's cause
about102 acres,prompted evacuations of two outdoor schools, and alarmed hundreds of hillside residents, visitors and public safety officials. By GUY McCARTHY It also underscored how vulnerable The Union Democrat TUD's primary water distribution system is to the threat of wildfire. The wind-driven, slope-driven blaze On Tuesday, one edge of the blaze that threatened key water infrastruc- burned over a stretch of the Main Cature for Pacific Gas & Electric and Tu- nal and threatened a water control olumne Utilities District on Tuesday point known as the Phoenix Penstock. resultedin an unknown amount offire Brefighters kept fl ames from damagretardant and fire debris getting into ing the penstock. PG&E and TUD perthe Tuolumne Main Canal. sonnel responded to assess damage The fast-moving Oak Fire on Big and take mitigation efForts by divertHill injured one firefighter, destroyed at leastthree structures, scorched See WATER/ Back Page
under investigation
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CORRECTIONS • An article in Tuesday's Union Democrat improperly described the funding for the fall water polo program at Sonora High School. The school helps pay for the program. • Also on Tuesday, an article on a donation from the Bank of Stockton to the Angels Camp Business Association to help support a Christmas festival incorrectly identified Dwayne Garcia's position with the bank. He is a branch manager.
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Maggie Beck /Union Democrat
Metal roofing is all that is left of the single home destroyed by the Oak Fire off Big Hill Road.
, Pastors evacuated from Oak Fire headed home
The Oak Fire threatens the Old Oak Ranch conference center Tuesday afternoon. A group of about 200 pastors had to evacuate the conference center due to the fire.
"It was amazing," said John Quiel, outreach pastor fo r F o ursquare Church of Crescent City. As the Oak Fire approached the Quiel and about 200 others were front gate of the Old Oak Ranch con- attending a pastors' conference that ference center Tuesday afternoon, a started Monday and was scheduled group of pastors started praying. to end Wednesday. They, along with They sat in a circle and as they conferencecenter stafF,w ere told to prayed, they noticed the fire move away from the gate of the center. See PASTORS / Back Page By LYDIA BROWNING The Union Democrat
Courtesy photo
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Dignity Health,.
Today:High 10a Low S3 Friday:High 105, Low S3 Saturday:High SS, Low 64
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Mark Twain Medical Center 209.754.3521 marktwainmedicalcenter.org
Saturday, September 26 7 AM to Noon• At the Hospital 153958 090315
airtankers,threehelicopters, three dozers and eight water tenders, were battling very steep terrain and hot temperaturesas the fi re traveled east, Cal Fire said. Evacuations, as of 8 :24 p.m.,include Amador Lane, and the end of Electra and Char amuga Ranch roads. Butte Mountain Road and Highway 26 from Happy Valley to lower Dorray Road have been closed. Mokelumne Hill is about 9 miles west of Butte Mountain Road. Neither th e T u olumneCalaveras or Amador-El Dorado Cal Fire units could be reached for comment.
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