Wildfire near Yosemite forces thousands to flee homes

At least one structure has been destroyed and another damaged.

As of Wednesday morning, the fire had scorched 45,724 acres or 71.44 square miles and is 7 percent contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Steep terrain and hot weather hindered the almost 1,000 firefighters working to keep the fire from homes and historically and culturally sensitive areas, according to the CalFire.

“There’s ample fuel and steep terrain”, Cal Fire spokeswoman DeeDee Garcia said.

The fire command center was moved to Merced County Fairgrounds Tuesday afternoon.

Many summer vacationers visit Mariposa, which is largely dependent on tourism. The fire is jumping roads and blowing across the tree canopy, and daytime heating is creating uphill winds that draw the fire with them. About 5,000 people in total are under evacuation orders.

California governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for Mariposa County. That fire is 25 percent contained.

Raging blaze near Yosemite National Park displaces thousands of Mariposa residents in the western USA state.

Yesterday, crews had to be pulled off the fire to deal with another blaze, the Range Fire, that broke out off Cow Mountain near Ukiah.

Children playing with fireworks set a 3.2-acre fire at Jacks Valley Road and Highway 395 on Tuesday night. “More ash falling from the sky tells me it’s getting closer”.

Cal Fire – the official California fire protection agency – reported that the blaze had doubled overnight from July 18 to July 19. Cal Fire officials said the fire was spreading at a moderate pace, about 1 mile per hour.

The trailer fire was initially found by the California Highway Patrol at 2:47 p.m., reporting “lots of smoke”. Park spokesman Scott Gediman says Yosemite is warning visitors with breathing problems to be aware of smoky haze wafting into Yosemite Valley from the fire.