Fire near Yosemite National Park destroys 25 homes

2008-08-03 01:52:48 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - Weather)

Idaho Falls, Idaho (WiredPRNews.com) — The smoke that enveloped most of Yosemite National Park was cleared to some extent by Tuesday. The wildfire spread for nearly six miles from the perimeter of the park.

The fire burned about 29,600 acres of land and destroyed about 25 homes at the western side of the park. As per the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, it continued to burn and was contained by only 15% as of press time.

Electricity officials cut off the power to Yosemite fearing that the flames might cause explosions or surges along power lines. This left Yosemite park absolutely dependent on the power of generators and the 145 lodge rooms in park without power. The blaze forced some guests to use flashlights to find their rooms.

Kari Cobb, the spokeswoman of the park, said that there have been quite a few cancellations and roughly 4,000 of the visitors have enjoyed the break in what she now expects will be a lengthy period of smoke-filled days.

Cobb said, “I can see Half Dome today,” when referring to Granite Peak which rises more than 4,700 feet in air. It is one of the most famous tourist attractions of the park. Currently, the fire has not reached Yosemite but fire crews have been struggling to contain the blazes. The fire is burning through a dry, steep river canyon and threatens almost 4,000 more homes at the western side of the park. The fire is growing in every direction and is getting harder to contain according to CalFire.

Lead meteorologist, Tom Moore, said that the conditions might remain consistent for the next few days as well. The highs will be in upper 80s, the winds between 10-15 mph with no chances of rain.

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