WAWONA, Calif. (AP) — A fast-moving wildfire near Yosemite National Park erupted Saturday and prompted evacuations, even as firefighters managed to contain an earlier blaze that burned to the edge of a grove of giant sequoias.
The Oak Fire, which started Friday afternoon southwest of the park near Midpines in Mariposa County, had grown to 10.2 square miles (26.5 square kilometers) by Saturday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
“Explosive fire behavior is a challenge for firefighters,” Cal Fire said in a statement Saturday morning, which described fire activity as “extreme with frequent runs, spot fires and group fires.”
As of Saturday morning, the fire had destroyed 10 residential and commercial buildings and damaged five more, the Mercury News reported. The rapidly growing fire prompted Caltrans to order numerous road closures, including the closure of Interstate 140 between Carstens Road and Allred Road – blocking one of the main routes into Yosemite National Park.
Hot weather and dry vegetation caused by the worst drought in decades fueled the fire and challenged fire crews, said Daniel Patterson, a spokesman for the Sierra National Forest.
“The fire is developing quickly. This fire yesterday was throwing embers up to 2 miles in front of it,” Patterson said. “These are exceptional fire conditions.”
About 1,700 residents in the area were ordered to evacuate Friday night.
An elderly man without shoes, trying to escape, crashed his sedan into a ditch in a closed area and was assisted by firefighters. He was removed safely from the area and did not appear to have sustained any injuries. Several other residents remained in their homes Friday night as the fire continued to burn nearby.
There was no immediate word on what caused the fire.
Meanwhile, firefighters have made significant progress against the wildfire that started in Yosemite National Park and burned through the Sierra National Forest.
The Washburn fire was 79 percent contained Friday after burning about 7.5 square miles (19.4 square kilometers) of forest.
The fire broke out on July 7 and forced the closure of Yosemite’s South Entrance and the evacuation of the community of Wawona as it burned at the edge of Mariposa Grove, home to hundreds of giant sequoias, the world’s largest trees by volume.
Wawona Road is expected to reopen Saturday, according to the park’s website.
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