A raging forest fire broke out Monday in the rugged hills just west of Camp Tawonga near the Tuolumne River in the Stanislaus National Forest.
No damage was reported to Tawonga, a non-denominational Jewish camp. A children’s summer camp session ended last Friday and only a few staff workers were at the camp during the blaze.
On Tuesday night, the fire, which has charred more than 2,000 acres, whipped over a ridge and began heading straight toward the camp.
With 15 fire engines stationed at the camp, the firefighters managed to douse the flames at the camp’s edge. In all, nearly 700 firefighters, four air tankers and four helicopters were battling the blaze.
“We were able to keep the fire at the perimeter [of Tawonga]. We’re feeling pretty good about that,” said Katy Coulter, a Stanislaus National Forest spokeswoman. “We committed a lot of resources to protect the camp.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, the fire had been 50 percent contained; the firefighters, however, had requested to double their numbers.
The fire was spreading in a southeast direction and endangering other camp sites and a few homes. The cause of the blaze is being investigated.
Although Coulter said firefighters were confident that Tawonga was no longer under threat, the fire engines remained perched on the site.
Tawonga hosts approximately 1,600 people during the summer. Camp director Ann Gonski said that a retreat scheduled for this weekend will be canceled
Tawonga was prepared, Gonski said, because the camp recently established a massive fire protection program funded by the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation’s endowment fund.
The plan, which came about after a large fire broke out near the camp in 1996, included adding an extra water tank, fire hydrants and hoses.
“That was probably one of the reasons we were able to keep the fire down. We are really pleased with all the work that was done,” Coulter said.