U.S. Wildfire near Yosemite National Park explodes in size, forces thousands of evacuations

[Scott]

Wildfire near Yosemite National Park explodes in size, forces thousands of evacuations

 

A fast-moving brush fire near Yosemite National Park has exploded in size into one of California's largest wildfires of the year, prompting evacuation orders for thousands of people and shutting off power to more than 2,000 homes and businesses.

 

The Oak Fire started Friday afternoon southwest of the park near the town of Midpines in Mariposa County, and by Sunday morning had grown to 14,281 acres with no containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. It erupted as firefighters made progress against an earlier blaze that burned to the edge of a grove of giant sequoias in the southernmost part of Yosemite park.

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/oak-fire-yosemite-national-park-california-evacuation-orders/

[Stargeezr]

The drought in the Western part of the USA sure is not helping this situation.

  

[timendres]

I remember staying with a friend in San Jose, and watching the ridge of the small mountains across from us aglow from a fire climbing up the other side. It was surreal for me, but for my friend, just another day in California.

[hotchilli]

High temps, no rain, dry as a bone with high winds...

going to get interesting.