Spreading California wildfire around Yosemite feeds on dry vegetation
August 25, 2013 -- Updated 1005 GMT (1805 HKT)
The Rim Fire burns just outside
Yosemite National Park, California, on Saturday August 24, 2013. The
fire had consumed nearly 126,000 acres as of Saturday and has moved into
a remote area of the park.
-
"This fire is very
dynamic," said Tina Rose, spokeswoman for the multiagency incident
command. "The access to the fire has been hampering us. It is so
difficult to get into those canyons."
Firefighters were buoyed
by the fact that winds appeared to have died down a bit and the massive
Rim Fire's rate of growth has slowed. The fire had doubled in size from
Thursday to Friday, and the total loss stood at nearly 130,000 acres
early Saturday evening, much of it in Stanislaus National Forest.
The blaze, which remained 7% contained, was spreading primarily to the east.
-
Firefighters battle Yosemite wildfire
California wildfire doubles in size
-
While the Rim Fire has
consumed 12,000 acres in the northwest section of Yosemite National
Park, so far it has had little or no direct impact on Yosemite Valley, a popular spot for tourists and home to many of the famous cliffs and waterfalls in the park.
-
"Skies are beautiful," park spokesman Scott Gediman told CNN at midday. "It is a crystal clear blue sky in Yosemite Valley."
Still, the park has seen a few cancellations and one western entrance was closed.
-
Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday issued a state of emergency in the San Francisco area because of threats to utilities.
"The San Francisco Public Utilities has been forced to shut down transmission lines," he said in a statement.
-
Much of San Francisco's
water comes from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, which lies within Yosemite
and is just east of the fire. There was good news on that front
Saturday, as officials said there was no effect on the water quality and
delivery.
-
About 4,500 structures, many of them vacation homes, were under threat, according to InciWeb, a federal website that collects information from agencies like the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.
Firefighters have been hampered by a lack of moisture from the sky and on the ground.
-
"The wind today is going
to be better for firefighting, but we are still dealing with bone dry
grass and brush," Rose said Saturday.
Lee Bentley of the U.S. Forest Service said crews were making progress, but "it is going to be awhile."
-
Eight fixed-wing aircraft and 10 helicopters were aiding the effort.
"We are the No. 1 priority in the country," said Bentley. "We are getting what we need."
The command center said a major effort was aimed at holding the fire east of the north fork of the Tuolumne River.
-
"Additional efforts are
focused on the eastern edge of the fire in Yosemite National Park to
minimize impacts to our national treasure," it said in a statement.
-
In a tinder box, but scenery is wonderful
-
The inferno threatened the Yosemite gateway communities of Groveland and Pine Mountain Lake just outside the Stanislaus Forest.
"It's crazy, and it has been for five days," Kirsten Lennon, whose home is threatened, told CNN affiliate KCRA on Friday. "Your heart's racing a little faster."
-
Joe Riley, co-owner of
the log-construction Cub Inn in Groveland, has canceled tourist
reservations until next weekend. The last remaining guest leaves Sunday.
-
"We are on a voluntary
evacuation order," Riley told CNN on Saturday afternoon. "If things get
bad or we get a direct order, we have everything packed, all the
pictures off the wall, and all the documents and business records."
-
The loss of business at
the height of the season, and possible cancellations into September, may
cost the inn between $10,000 and $20,000, he said.
The closure of the
Yosemite entrance on U.S. Highway 120 West means tourists coming through
the community must drive an extra hour to get into the park.
People in the community generally are handling the situation pretty well, though many have evacuated, Riley said.
"I understand we are in a tinder box and it is risky," he said. "But it is beautiful."
-
The Tuolumne County
Sheriff's Department, meanwhile, issued evacuation advisories for the
town of Tuolumne and nearby Ponderosa Hill, according to InciWeb. It was
not clear how many residents were covered by the evacuation advisory.
Residents of Pine
Mountain Lake and another area were to be allowed to return home
beginning Saturday evening. Fire crews strengthened lines above Pine
Mountain Lake, a resort neighborhood.
-
"Be advised that areas
burned by the Rim Fire may still pose hazards," an advisory said.
"Fire-weakened trees, burning stump holes and large fire apparatus may
be present. Entry into the burned areas is strongly discouraged."
-
Authorities say the Rim Fire started on August 17. The cause is under investigation.
Gediman, of Yosemite
National Park, said the Rim Fire's impact was restricted to the entrance
closure at Highway 120 West and a backcountry section used by hikers.
Temperatures were a little cooler Saturday than on Friday, he said.
-
The park typically has
15,000 visitors on a busy summer weekend. August sees an influx of
visitors from other countries, a few of whom have called to check on
conditions.
Still, there's little indication so far it's keeping many people away.
-
Ranger programs went on as normal Saturday and campgrounds were full.
"If somebody cancels, there are 10 people that will take their spot," said Gediman.
Yosemite, with hundreds
of campground sites and lodging units, had nearly 4 million visitors
last year, according to the National Park Service.
-
CNN's Nick Valencia reported from Yosemite
National Park and Phil Gast reported and wrote in Atlanta. CNN's
AnneClaire Stapleton contributed to this report.
