Fires in Yosemite Park

[LMD]

We are scheduled to go to Worldmark Bass Lake CA in a little over 2 weeks. We planned to spend the week at the park.
I am getting a little nervous with the fires out there. Does anyone know how close the fires are to that area?
Thanks!

 

[sue1947]

I just read an article about this and looked it up. The fires are quite a bit north of where you will be staying. The fires are north of Mariposa which is due west of the park. You will be south of the park. They are evacuating people from Mariposa to Oakhurst (near Bass Lake) so things could be crowded in town and at the grocery store/gas stations. However, it sounds like the smoke will be the biggest concern. The webcams show smoke has filled the valley. Tuolumne Meadows on the east side is clear but that's a really long drive from Bass Lake. Glacier Point (look at the Badger Valley camera) looks better than the Valley, but still pretty smoky. It will all depend on which way the wind blows the smoke when you are there.

Sue

 

[WalnutBaron]

Check www.fire.ca.gov for updates. Latest report on the Detwiler Fire, which is near the western edge of Yosemite, has burned over 70,000 acres and is just 10% contained. That said, it will not affect Yosemite Valley or the high country except, as Sue has suggested, for the smoke.

 

[Icc5]

This morning the fire has slowed it's movement and is 35 miles outside of the park.

 

[WalnutBaron]

Detwiler fire has now exceeded 75,000 acres and 30% containment. This weekend is challenging with very high temperatures near 100 degrees F.

 

[LMD]

We are here now. There was some smoke early in the morning at Glacier Point on Tuesday morning but otherwise things have been fine.

 

[WalnutBaron]

A new wildfire has sprung up which is actually within the borders of Yosemite National Park. The South Fork Fire has now burned more than 1,700 acres and is located near Wawona, which is in the southwest corner of the Park, not far from the revered Mariposa Grove which is home to scores of Giant Sequoias. The fire is only 5% contained.

 

[WalnutBaron]

Update: fire has expanded to 2,300 acres as of 5pm last night. Still at 5% containment. Preparations are underway for evacuation of Wawona, though no evacuation orders have yet been given.

More info at www.fire.ca.gov.

 

[WalnutBaron]

As of six hours ago, the South Fork Fire has now burned nearly 3,500 acres and is just 10% contained. It continues to threaten the spectacular Mariposa Grove, a stand of ancient Sequoias. The entire Wawona area has been evacuated and access to the Mariposa Grove is closed.

 

[taffy19]

How awful. Let's hope that these beautiful Sequoias will be saved and the structures too in the park.