Saturday, August 24, 2013

Stanislaus National Forest Fire Spreads To Yosemite National Park

The Rim Fire at Stanislaus National Forest has spread into Yosemite National Park in California on Friday.  Authorities urged more evacuations in nearby communities where thousands have already been forced out by flames marching through the timbered slopes of the western Sierra Nevada.

The Center has a Wildfire Mitigation Program to prevent these disasters.

The fire hit the park at the height of summer season and has closed some backcountry hiking but was not threatening the Yosemite Valley region, one of California’s most popular tourist destinations.


The week-long blaze has spread to more than 165 square miles and was only 2 percent contained. It continued to grow in several directions, although “most of the fire activity is pushing to the east right into Yosemite, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The fire was threatening about 4,500 residences, according to the U.S. Forest Service. More than 2,000 firefighters were on the lines.  (AP, Wash Post, 8/23/2013)

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