Update: Acres burned in Merced County grows to 15, Wright Fire now 40% contained

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Updated: 11:57 p.m. July 4

First discovered: 10:52 p.m. July 4

Initial location: Merced County, Calif.

Fire unit: Cal Fire Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Wright Fire

Wright Fire initially started today at 10:52 p.m. on in Merced County, California.

As of Saturday evening, it had consumed 15 acres, an increase of 15 acres since the last update. By Saturday evening, the fire crew succeeded in containing 40% of this fire.

The fire is fought by four engines, one water tender and one dozer. 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 40% contained?

The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 40% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 60% 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 4, 2026 at 11:21 PM.