The so-called Oak Fire has grown rapidly since its outbreak on Friday. Firefighters are trying to get her under control.
A state of emergency has been declared in parts of California as the largest active wildfire in the US spreads rapidly near Yosemite National Park.
The so-called Oak Fire has grown rapidly since its outbreak on Friday. Firefighters are trying to get her under control.
The Oak fire, which started Friday afternoon southwest of the park near Midpines in Mariposa County, had grown to 26.5 square kilometers by Saturday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as CalFire.
Evacuation orders went into effect Saturday for more than 6,000 people living in a several-mile stretch of the sparsely populated rural area, said Daniel Patterson, a spokesman for the Sierra National Forest. More than 2,000 homes and businesses were without power.
More than 400 firefighters are battling the blaze, along with helicopters, airplanes and bulldozers, while dealing with challenging conditions including hot weather, low humidity and dry vegetation caused by the worst drought in decades, Patterson said. .
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