A wildfire, dubbed the Colorado Fire, erupted Tuesday afternoon in Mariposa County, California, near Yosemite National Park, after a cement truck overturned and ignited. The incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. on Highway 140 when the truck rounded a corner, clipped a guardrail, and flipped.
Dashcam footage released by Extranomical Tours shows the cement truck sliding down the road at high speed, narrowly missing an oncoming tour bus before coming to a stop in a cloud of smoke. The company stated that one of its drivers, who was operating the bus with no passengers at the time, witnessed the crash and rendered aid to the cement truck driver before calling 911. The bus driver reported being shaken but uninjured.
Liquid from the overturned truck leaked out and ignited, rapidly spreading the fire. As of Tuesday night, the Colorado Fire had consumed approximately 250 acres. Evacuation orders were issued for Mariposa zones 546, 548, and 549, with warnings for zones 550 and 551. Roughly 45 structures were reported to be threatened by the blaze, which was spreading upslope near the Merced River.
Firefighting efforts continued through the night, with crews working to control the fire and mitigate further damage. Ground crews faced challenges reaching the flames due to the steep terrain, while aerial units were actively dumping water and retardant on the fire. Highway 140 was closed from Briceburg to the Bug Hostel, and Rancheria Creek Road was also shut down due to the fire.
The fate of the cement truck driver remains unknown. The cause of the truck overturning is under investigation.