Priest Fire prompts evacuation orders near Groveland after vehicle fire spreads

A rapidly spreading vegetation fire sparked by a vehicle fire prompted evacuation orders Monday afternoon near Groveland, the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office said.

The fire, dubbed the Priest Fire, sparked after a vehicle caught fire on Old Priest Grade, and the flames spread into nearby vegetation.

Authorities said the fire was exhibiting a "dangerous to critical rate of spread" as multiple deputies and firefighters responded to the scene. Shortly after 3:30 p.m., the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's (Cal Fire) Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit said the fire was estimated at roughly 15 acres and was holding at that size.

The sheriff's office said the evacuation orders have been issued for Priest Station Cafe at the top of Old Priest Grade and the area along Priest Coulterville Road down to the creek reservoir at the Hetch Hetchy entrance.

The sheriff's office also issued an evacuation warning for residents in the nearby Big Oak Flat area through the county's Everbridge emergency notification system.

Traffic has been significantly impacted by the fire. Caltrans said Highway 120 is closed from the Highway 49 Junction to Big Oak Flat due to the fire.

The sheriff's office said Old Priest Grade has been closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles, while New Priest Grade is open only for evacuating residents.

Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area.

No injuries or structures damaged have been reported. The cause of the vehicle fire was not yet known.