Update: Cardella Fire in Merced County still at 50% containment as of Sunday evening

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Updated: 9:08 p.m. July 5

First discovered: 7:11 p.m. July 5

Initial location: West Cardella Road and Highway 59 North, Atwater, Merced County, Calif.

Fire unit: Cal Fire Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Cardella Fire

Cardella Fire initially started today at 7:11 p.m. at West Cardella Road and Highway 59 North, Atwater in Merced County, California.

A crew of 14 firefighters succeeded in containing 50% of the fire by Sunday evening. The blaze's cause remains under investigation.

The fire is fought by three engines and two water tenders. According to Cal Fire, "Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the State are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow."

Fire containment

What does it mean for a fire to be 50% contained?

Containment indicates what percentage of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 50% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 50% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn't always correlate to safety level. Also, it's important to note that containment doesn't mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident's central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: Cal Fire

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This story was originally published July 5, 2026 at 8:45 PM.