Posted on 07/23/2022 2:34:46 PM PDT by DFG
A fast-moving brush fire near Yosemite National Park exploded in size Saturday 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 Saturday morning had rapidly grown to 10.2 square miles, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
'Fire activity is extreme,' Cal Fire said in a situation report on Saturday, noting that the wildfire is at zero percent containment. 'Explosive fire behavior is challenging firefighters.'
The origin of the wildfire is under investigation. 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.
Evacuation orders were put in effect Saturday for over 6,000 people living across a several-mile span in the sparsely populated, rural area, said Daniel Patterson, a spokesman for the Sierra National Forest.
Cal Fire described the Oak Fire's activity as 'extreme with frequent runs, spot fires and group torching.'
By Saturday morning, the fire had destroyed 10 residential and commercial structures, damaged five others and was threatening 2,000 more structures, Cal Fire said.
The blaze prompted numerous road closures, including a shutdown of Highway 140 between Carstens Road and Allred Road - blocking one of the main routes into Yosemite.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Is this the result of climate change or years of land mismanagement?
(or just natural)
My brother spent time in a youth camp for being beyond parental control. Their job was to help put the fires out. It’s like cigarette taxes funding health care. You gotta encourage lawbreaking to fight fires.
It’s Summer
So climate change...
There goes my PG&E stock again..
"Officials and experts say that low humidity, high fuel load and sloping topography are creating a 'perfect recipe' for extreme fire behavior at Central California’s Oak Fire."The temperature in Mariposa, CA right now is 97 degrees which is normal for summer. Humidity is always low in the summer. The topography hasn't changed.
The greenies have blocked efforts to reduce fuel load and remove old, dead trees from previous forest fires. A lot of the fuel load results from years of drought.
Any super scoopers being used?
It’s the same over and over...foolish land management.
I’m sure it will be deemed climate change though.
Or another controlled-burn by the Dept. of the Interior gone wrong?
Yosemite is gorgeous, and yes, they need to clear the brush. My German friend says the Black Florest does that and never has fires.
However it started, good for the forest or bad, I hate to see this area burn. Yosemite is my favorite national park.
Can’t afford the fuel! lol
The manage of the Forrest and major cities are being delinquent and failing with by progressive failures. Probably by citizens are in ruins for getting away from conservative principles.
Here in North Idaho the foresters are always cleaning and thinning the forests to maintain forest health. We went up to Priest Lake a couple days ago and passed some enormous slash piles in the woods. They burn them in the winter when fire risk is almost non-existent.
I was there as a child around 1980.
I remember how cool it seemed to me.
Was just there in May. Mariposa Grove was partially shut down at that time since they were doing construction in the area, but you could still hike back to the Sequoias. Lots of burned out acres in the park even at that time before these recent fires.
They were actually doing controlled burns in some parts of Yosemite in May. There were little signs that said, “Please don’t report this fire, it is a controlled burn.” There were fire trucks nearby.
It was comforting to find out at the Visitor Center that God designed Sequoias to withstand (some) fire. They didn’t say God designed them, but anyway, Sequoia bark is thick and almost spongy.. kind of like a soft version of a coconut.
The visitor center also talked about how the National Parks tried to stop every fire, but learned that some fire destruction is good as it helps in renewal of the forest. I
It was a wonderful trip. We flew into Fresno and went right to the parks (Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon) so didn’t have to interact much with the California fruits and nuts. Everyone should see Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon at least once.
Its a good thing they banned small gas engines in Cal.
My in-laws had a house in Paradise,CA and we became the owners after they passed away. I always remember how many trees hid the houses from the roadways and you were not allowed to cut down any trees without a permit. Bad land management. We sold the house and a year or so later, HEAVY winds and a fire destroyed the entire town. Ron Howard made a movie “ Rebuilding Paradise “, which has good showing of all the damage and deaths.
Notice the glaciers are gone there as well. Prayers up for folks in the area.
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