California declares state of emergency over wildfire near Yosemite
- The Oak Fire started on Friday afternoon near the town of Midpines in Mariposa County
- Evacuation orders were put in effect on Saturday for more than 6,000 people living in the rural area, said a spokesman for the Sierra National Forest
A fast-moving brush fire near Yosemite National Park exploded in size on 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 on Friday afternoon southwest of the park near the town of Midpines in Mariposa County and by Saturday had grown to nearly 48 square kilometres, 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.
Evacuation orders were put in effect on 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.
Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for Mariposa County on Saturday due to the effects of the Oak Fire.
More than 400 firefighters were battling the blaze, along with helicopters, other aircraft and bulldozers, facing tough conditions that included hot weather, low humidity and bone-dry vegetation caused by the worst drought in decades, Patterson said.
“Explosive fire behaviour is challenging firefighters,” Cal Fire said in a statement Saturday that described the Oak Fire’s activity as “extreme with frequent runs, spot fires and group torching.”